The Potter Brothers: The stone and the book
by lsgp
Summary: AU. In this story, Harry has a brother named Ethan. The plot unfolds as Harry and Ethan part ways when James and Lily get murdered by Voldemort.
1. Boy who lived and the boy who was lost

The Potter Brothers: The Stone and the Book

AU. In this story, Harry has a brother named Ethan. The plot unfolds as Harry and Ethan part ways when James and Lily get murdered by Voldemort. This part takes place in the first year in Hogwarts of both Potters, while many more mysteries unravel with the disappearance of young Ethan, who is 1 year older than harry.

Disclaimer Everything related to Harry potter is owned by JK Rowling. I do not own any Harry Potter characters or any other material from JKR. .

The Boy-Who-Lived and the Boy-Who-Was-Lost

_A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground… _

For many reasons, Albus Dumbledore was not a man who would be gladly received in the neighborhood of Privet Drive. Every little detail that characterized him would surely be found repulsive. He wore violet robes with a matching pointy hat and high heeled boots. His long silvery beard fell just below his chest, and his half-mooned spectacles glittered against the moonlight. He was busy searching his clothes, when he realized a striped cat was observing him and grinned amusedly. He found what he was looking for in one of his pockets, raised what seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter, and one by one, the lamps' lights were sucked into the_ put-outer_ as he clicked it.

He slowly walked to the number four, making his way toward the cat. "Ah, I should have known…" he said looking directly at it, chuckling.

In an instant it transformed into a most severe looking woman.

"Evening, Professor Dumbledore," said McGonagall, looking very much distressed.

"Evening, Minerva," he answered. "I would've thought you would be _celebrating_ by now".

"Celebrating?!" she said, even more anxious. "Have you heard what happened?" Dumbledore's stare was a mixture of concern and relief; something was seriously troubling him.

"Ah yes, I have certainly heard the rumors," he confessed, as he raised his eyebrows and looked at the ground, sighing. "As troubling and unbelievable as they might be, they are true." She immediately leaned against the fence of Number Four, looking immensely disconsolate.

"You mean it's... it's true?" she stammered. "Lily, James, and their son, Ethan…?" It seemed that she would faint as every color of her face had gone.

"Yes, I am afraid we have lost them." he said.

McGonagall sobbed uncontrollably. "And about what stopped _him? Is it also true?" _she managed to let out. "Was a baby, a most innocent and vulnerable child, able to stop the Dark Lord, with all the people he had managed to murder… he was beaten by little Harry?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, Minerva. It's really hard to explain what happened. Somehow, the killing curse Voldemort-" McGonagall flinched at the mere mention of the name, "-used reverted against him, breaking his power. What is of Voldemort, I must confess, I do not know." He confirmed what had been tormenting her.

"And Ethan? Did _he…he-who-must-not-be-named_ murder him, too?" she said, stammering again.

For the first time, Dumbledore looked confused and troubled. "If Harry's survival has a handful of explanations, which are probably wrong, Ethan's disappearing is the most intriguing mystery I have ever encountered," he told McGonagall, who looked shocked. "No body or trace of him was found a mile near the location, not a clue or evidence of a spell that could transport him, _nothing." _McGonagall had lost the last shred of color from her face.

"Do you reckon Voldemort might have taken him, if he survived?" she asked.

"Certainly not. As I said, the only reason for Harry's survival is that the killing curse Voldemort used backfired. Even if he managed to survive by any means, he would have been inflicted by an amount of pain intolerable to any human being, as wretched as he could be."

McGonagall was still at loss of words. It just couldn't be. "Professor, may I ask…" she said, gaining some of her lost composure. "Who did you put in charge of bringing up Harry Potter?"

As an answer, a roar was heard throughout the dark night as an immense object approached the neighborhood. "What is that noise?!" managed to spill McGonagall.

"Harry Potter's escort," said Dumbledore calmly as the colossal Hagrid got down from the flying motorcycle with baby Potter in his arms.

"Ey' Professor here I have him." said Hagrid, not taking his eyes from the child.

"Thank you very much, Rubeus." he answered. "I assume that is Sirius's bike…"

"Of course, he lent it to me. Poor lad… he was _broken._ He couldn't say a word when he got to James and Lily's." answered Hagrid, sobbing while he tried to clean the tears that had fallen to his cheeks.

"Oh my… I can't believe it Albus… James and Lily, dead?" said McGonagall sobbing again.

After looking at Harry's scar, Dumbledore looked seriously at Hagrid. "Did you manage to find anything at Godric's Hollow, Rubeus?" he asked gently.

"No, Professor, only…" Hagrid was now sobbing as hard as McGonagall. "Only their... their... bodies… Lily's and James's…" he said as he finally letting out a howl.

"Calm down, Rubeus," comforted Dumbledore. "We must not wake up the _muggles"_.

"And the poor little Ethan…" Hagrid howled again, ignoring what Dumbledore had said. "I couldn't find him! Argggh!" Hagrid shouted.

"It's okay Hagrid, dear." said McGonagall, surprised how it had affected such a massive and brave man.

"Let's not discuss this matter here." said Dumbledore. "We must get Harry to his remaining family."

McGonagall shuddered. "_These?_ They are the worst type of muggles I have ever met; I have never seen people more _different _from us!"

"Precisely," replied Dumbledore. "Here, Harry will grow up without all the spoiling that fame can provide him." continued Dumbledore calmly.

"Oh, I hope yeh'r right, Dumbledore." said Hagrid as he put Harry in a basket with the letter Dumbledore had written for the Dursley's.

"Very well, then let us leave," Dumbledore told them. "We must rejoice, for we have not had something to celebrate for eleven years. I will see you both soon at school. We must also grieve for the ones we lost, shall the world remember the bravery of the Potters: James, Lily, and Ethan, that gave their lives for the sake of us all."

Finally, the wizards left Privet Drive, as fast as they had gotten there. Like Dumbledore had foreseen, thousands of people gathered in secret, held their glasses, and cheered to the boy who had lived.

* * *

"_Daddy! What's happening?!" cried a little boy who could barely walk to his father's legs. "Why is mom crying? Why are you yelling? I'm scared." _

_James Potter looked scared to death as well. "Lily! Get Harry! He is coming!" he shouted. "We have to leave! Take the baby, I'll get Ethan. We leave right now!" He sounded desperate. "Ethan, don't be scared," he yelled at the boy. "We'll be going to uncle Sirius's"… _

_Suddenly, a vicious laugh broke the shouting, and at the door, James could see who he feared would find them. Dumbfounded, he realized Ethan was staring directly at him. _

"_Daddy? Who is this… he… he's scary," he said almost crying. _

"_Ethan! Get behind me right now!" _

_Suddenly, Ethan's face did not show any sign of fear, but of a mixture of anger and courage. "You will not harm daddy or mummy or lil' Harry, bad sir!" he yelled at the Dark Lord. _

"_So brave," Voldemort said at last, with his snake-like voice that would make any man shiver. "And of course so stupid," he said raising his wand. _

"_NOO!!" said James while he raced to protect his son… but it was too late. A flash of green erupted from the Dark Lord's wand, going directly at Ethan's chest. The world froze for James Potter; he was not going to be able to stop it. _

_Then it happened. Neither wizard saw or understood what had just taken place in front of them. A blue, blinding light surrounded the boy as he screamed in agony. His father could see a wound was forming throughout his chest in a lightning bolt shape, and it broke his heart. Then the boy was consumed by the blue light and disappeared. _

_Three more flashes of green were seen from outside the Potter's house in Godric's hollow. As the last flash shone through the night, a man's screech of pain was heard for miles. Then the house that hours before looked so beautiful and peaceful, collapsed. Only the ashes remained, along with the cries of a small baby._

_

* * *

  
_

A year had come and gone after the events that lead to the downfall of the Dark Lord. In the outskirts of London city, a nun stood in the lobby of a deteriorated building with a sign was hanging at the front door – '_St. Mark's Orphanage'_. She was rechecking yet again the list of the poor little children that were enlisted that month. "Dear Lord, so many…" she said sadly. "We may not be able to take care of the whole lot of them. Please God, help us, you know we desperately need a miracle."

Before she had even finished these words, Sister Rosalie heard three big thumps at the orphanage doors. Recovering herself after almost falling down, she fixed her clothing and after she covered her head with her hood, she opened the door. There in the winter's cold, stood a barely clothed little boy, shivering because of the harsh freezing wind that was blowing outside. He was crying, and he held his chest, on which the sister could see a huge bolt-shaped scar. She immediately attended the boy. She took him inside and led him to the first empty room she could find. At the sight of the bed the nun had shown him, the boy did not think twice to jump up and cover himself. After his shivering calmed down, he held out his hand with a letter.

She became more and more confused as she read. Her eyes followed intensely every sentence until she got to a point that made her give a little jump, cover her mouth in astonishment, and start crying. She hugged the little boy and saw that he was holding in his other hand an immense book. Then she tried to comfort him while she took the book and put it on a shelf.

"Don't worry, my dear, you will be safe here. I will take care of you." But the boy had fallen asleep. She smiled a little and covered him from the cold. As she closed the door she heard him calling for his mom, dad, and another person called Harry. She couldn't be sadder for the little boy and swore to herself that she would protect him with her life, for this boy was lost.

* * *

As calm and peaceful as Little Hangleton seemed to be, the townsfolk had not seen such a terrifying and darker night since the deaths of the Riddle family. A chilly, gloomy breeze made the windows and doors of the houses screech, giving Goosebumps to the residents. Just outside the town, the people had built a graveyard a century before, and many of them did not have a clue of the horrors that had taken place long before they came. Just next to it, the Riddle manor stood ever watchful, dark and gloomy, as it had ever been since the murders of the family.

Legends were created around the old graveyard, most of them about the main chapel that stood just in the center. It was surrounded by demonic statues, one on each corner, looking to each cardinal point. Most of the walls had their outline made of stone serpents that seemed to crawl every time a person looked at them. At the front door, some symbols were carved in a language long forgotten, unknown to the people of the little town.

The silence was then broken by a faint popping sound between the graves. Three cloaked figures then stood in front the chapel as if they had appeared out of nowhere, their faces covered by their cloaks. They walked slowly, and with every step the night got darker and darker. The first one stopped in the front door and whispered some inaudible words that resembled more snake than person. The doors opened as if they had been commanded to, and the three figures entered the dark chamber. Inside of it was a tomb, which also had the strange symbols carved from the front door.

The room looked as if it had not been opened for a thousand years, although it was lit by torches in the corners that apparently had been set a few minutes ago. A second figure stood in front of a statue of a cloaked woman, holding a snake shaped staff, which he pulled down. The statue started moving making way for a secret passageway that the three figures entered silently. Another chamber was behind, with a single, squared table with two chairs on each side. In the wood on chairs and the table were once again carved snakes that looked as though they were going to come alive any second.

They calmly sat down around the table, and the first person spoke then with a grave, profound voice. It sounded like he had barely used it in his entire life. "Let us gather," the man spoke, "for the first reunion of the Council of Maeve in the present century." The two other people did not react to the announcement. "We must review the events that have taken place in the past decade," the voice continued.

"Yessss…" said the figure on his right. It was more like a hiss than a word, with a voice so hoarse that it would seem a millennium had passed since the last time it spoke. "It would seem _Salazar's _heir has fallen… so incompetent…"

The third one, who had not spoken, stared at him. "Wasn't it _YOU_ who gave him the mission?" his voice was unnatural; it was as though two men were talking - a voice that would scare the hell out of the bravest man alive. It could be split in two waves, the first one deep and calm, consumed by pure evil. The second, however, was more like a screech, a high-pitched scream of agony. The combination of both made such an effect that the second one had to turn his face down for a moment.

"Remember, had he not lost his body, he would have become one of usss," the second man answered with a hiss.

"Do not discuss now the failures of others, Isaiah," the first man told the third one, "or we will forget the very reason of our gathering. A century has passed since the last meeting, the same reason all over again."

The second man turned now. "Ah yesss… the same fate preventsss us the achievement of our goalssss."

Then the third man spoke again. "Grindewald turned out to be completely useless. What reason makes you believe that the youngling will not fail to accomplish his task, Azael?"

For a moment, the first man looked like he had died. But then crossing his fingers on the table, he answered, "Ah, it is because he will not be alone. I have sent the _heir_ to look upon him and make sure he does not deviate from his path."

The second man crossed his arms. "So indeed he _wasss_ able to perform the cursed enchantment on himself to survive," he hissed.

"We must summon them to make sure, don't you agree, Eskh'al?" The second man nodded at the doubled-voiced man's question.

"We musssst interrogate them".

"Very well" whispered Azael. He took a black dagger out of his cloak and made a clean cut on his palm. However, the man did not bleed, but a trail of green smoke came out of the wound, and not a second later, a man with a turban appeared. He was a very young and brave man, but at the sight of the three men, he started trembling.

"You summoned me, M-m-masters?" he shuddered.

"Who else would have, you imbecile joke of a wizard?" said Isaiah. It seemed too much for the young man. He almost fainted out of terror.

Then, another voice, much like the second man's voice, spoke out of the turban the young man wore. "We are honored to be in your presence, masters"

"It is an honor, indeed, to receive the call of the three last _Serpent Lords," s_aid the young man, still trembling.

Azael then raised his face and gazed directly upon the young man. "We have called you, young one, to remind you of your primary goal," he said, "no… your _ONLY _goal, Quirrell."he corrected.

The second man raised his head this time. "You must not fail to find the location of the _white_ heir." he hissed.

Then the third's man voice sounded. "Any other mission is second to this. Including the recovery of your body, Tom," he said as he stared directly at the man. "We had not foreseen what happened to the first child. It is now unclear if _they _had something to do with it."

The young man raised his head in confusion. "Is it possible that _they_ could have managed such a protection?"

Again, the voice of the turban, who sounded more confident than the young man, answered, "I do not believe that their group was the reason the boy disappeared, masters. However the second protective spell, the one that hit me is easier to explain. Although I had not expected it, I believe _that _was their doing…"

The three cloaked men nodded. "It seems you are not as useless as we had thought, _Milord,"_ hissed Eskh'al mockingly. The three figures laughed at his remark.

"To think that common wizards call you the greatest dark wizard of all time," said Azael. "It is simply hilarious."

The young man could feel the anger of the man he carried inside him as he thought, _"Indeed, I had thought I, Lord Voldemort, was the greatest."_

"Do not underestimate us, Thomas!" said Isaiah. "You call yourself the greatest Legilimens, but you cannot hide your thoughts from us!" said as he struck the table with his fist. Quirrell had never thought Voldemort would be so scared of someone. It seemed unreal, even for him.

"Remember, children, what your mission is," said Azael bluntly. "We must obtain that power and eliminate our… _obstacles…_ Then, nothing will stop us, and of course, you will have your share."

"You are now excused. The meeting is adjourned for now," said Azael. Then, bowing to the three men, Quirrell excused himself and dissaparated.

"I'm disappointed," said Azael. "Although I thought the two of them would be enough, I do not think they will remain true to their mission." said Azael bluntly.

The other two men nodded. "Then we shall summon another one to _check_ upon them." hissed Eskh'Al.

"Do you have someone in mind already?" asked Isaiah. Eskh'Al just nodded. "Then bring him to us."

It was the second man's turn to take the Dagger out of his cloak and wound himself. Again, someone apparated immediately in front of them. This time, a woman bowed before them, though she wore a cloak that covered her face. The dim torches barely lighted her, but even so, and even with the layers of cloak she had upon herself, it was obvious she was an astonishing woman, with long black hair that fell in front of her just below her neck. As she spoke, a glint of a childish voice could be noted. She couldn't be more than eleven, a mere girl in front of three power-hungry evil wizards.

"Long live the Serpents," she said as she saluted the three men.

"I trust you know what you have to do, girl?" said Azael, not even looking at her. "Failure is not an option, we must obtain the vessel."

"Of course, it will be done, Lord Azael," said the girl, but she had not finished her sentence when the first man rose, hand extended.

"NEVER SAY OUR NAMES, YOU FILTHY CREATURE!"

The girl was levitated and held her neck, gasping for air. "Please, _milord," _she barely managed to let out. "It will not happen again."

"Stop," said the third man. Taking his time in torturing the girl, the first man let her go. The woman crashed on the floor and bowed again before them.

"If you would excuse me, masters," she said, still barely breathing. "I assure you I will not fail as the one before me did."

"You are free to go," hissed Eskh'Al, and without hesitation, the woman disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

As the three Lords rose, they suddenly turned their gaze at the entrance. "Someone is at the front door," said Eskh'Al.

"A muggle!" Azael laughed madly. "Let him in." With a gesture of his hand, a man appeared in the chamber like being pulled from an invisible rope.

"Who are you?!" the man shouted. "Pleaseee! Don't hurt me!"

"Let me, Azael," said Isaiah. He took out his wand and sent him a curse:

"_Corpus deleox."_

The man floated in the air and started screaming in agony. The three men laughed madly and left the man hanging in mid air. The shadow that was cast by the muggle showed what was happening. His bones started coming out of his body, ripping his flesh as they did so, breaking and spilling blood all over the chamber. His organs started flying to the walls, his eyes exploded and then his spine came out with a last _crack. _What was left of him fell on the ground, as the doors of the chambers sealed shut once again.


	2. Meeting Talking Snakes

**Chapter 2: Meeting Talking Snakes**

The calm wind of summer caressed the olive leaves of the garden of the number four, Privet Drive. It was a delightful morning of July, accompanied by the blissful tweeting of a few birds and the distant rumble of the city. On first approach, the residence of the Dursleys gave the same impression of normalcy as any other in the neighborhood, something Vernon Dursley bragged fondly to whom would endure his swaggering attitude.

Oblivious of the happenings inside the number four, the neighbors would whisper jealously about the tidiness of the house, and gladly criticized any minuscule mistake the Dursleys made. Petunia Dursley was absolutely sure she would die before revealing their darkest secret to their fellow neighbors.

Inside the cupboard, below the stairs that led to the upper level of the house, a small boy leaned uncomfortably against the wall, trashing between dreams. Only with the loud thump on the door was he able to woke from the previous nightmare. A second hit came from the door and he rose up and opened the door to find the horse-like face of Petunia Dursley scowling at him.

"I'm up" said the boy hastily.

"You better be, boy" said the woman anxiously holding a frying pan with one hand and swinging it towards the other "today is Diddykins birthday and I want it to be perfect. Go get the breakfast ready"

The woman then left and took the stairs, screeching. Obviously, his beloved cousin Dudley had woken up already. He visually scowled and lazily put on one of the old, worn out shirts that Dudley had passed him, along with an equally shabby light brown trouser.

He was a squat boy with dark messy hair, green eyes, very thin for the lack of nourishment and the fact he used clothing from his cousin that didn't fit him anymore. He always wore a circle rimmed old glasses that his aunt had bought him in a second hand shop. IT could be said he bore the resemblance of any other ten year old boy, except for the noticeable bolt-shaped scar on his forehead.

While trying not to burn his cousin breakfast, therefore, avoiding what could be a serious outburst of anger from his cousin, he tried to recall what he had dreamed. Three figures interrogating another one. Then the voice, the one voice he always heard on his dreams. The wicked laugh accompanied by the flashes of green light. But this time was different. Judging by the sounds of the screams, they had killed a man, very painfully. The boy shook his head and wished the dream go away.

The loud steps of his whale of a cousin were heard from above. Again he scowled. Dudley's birthday meant he would have to go Mrs. Figg's house. He didn't think he would be able to tolerate the company of her four hundred cats one more time. Luckily for him, uncle Vernon came disgusted to the kitchen and announced that Mrs. Figg had tripped and was being attended in the hospital.

"Is there no one who can take the boy, darling?" said Petunia anxiously.

They usually spoke of him as the _boy_ ignoring the fact that he was in front of them. He didn't mind though, as he was rather busy avoiding the silverware being shot down at him. At the moment, Dudley was making a tantrum because he hadn't got as many presents as last year, counting up to thirty one only.

Harry rolled his eyes and tried to eat a toast while attempting to listen to his uncle and aunt deciding what was going to happen to him. After a while they decided to take him, not without an ultimatum of course.

"Mind you, boy," told him his uncle. "Any funny business and you will go back to the cupboard without eating for a couple days".

Harry just nodded. He couldn't understand why strange things always happened around him. So, unwillingly he got inside of his uncle's new car and took off towards the city zoo.

_Hopefully it won't be such a bad day._

_

* * *

  
_

Long had been the ten years that the boy had to endure on St. Mark's orphanage. The valley, in which the building stood, was just a memory from the glorious days of its foundation. Dirty and blackened had the buildings become, adjoining the rusty shelter for abandoned children.

As a dim light appeared through the tattered old curtains that hanged before the window, the lonely boy awoke lazily. Hunger spread quickly through his body, but he swore to himself as reality came crashing upon him. Robert, he remembered, was his name. Or so _they_ called him. He had been given it the cold day that he appeared at the entrance of the orphanage.

Since then he had had these strange nightmares of green flashes and a wicked laugh every night. It was always the same. Afterwards, a blinding blue light would surround him.

Then, the cold.

He could not remember anything before the night he got to the wretched place, and somehow, he knew Robert was not his name. Also he did not have any last name. He was plain Robert.

The only thing that made his life bearable was Sister Rosalie. The lovely nun who had taken care of him since the day he appeared in the middle of the street, barely clothed and freezing to death. Everyone else seemed to hate him. The other kids would pull pranks on him _every day. _He didn't understand why, he had never done anything to them. Then there were the other nuns that always stared at him like a piece of trash that needed to be taken care of.

He felt sick. Mother Katrina made him especially furious. She would make him clean the floor with his hands. Treated him like a slave; he had to wash the dishes, clean many of the rooms, - if not every single one- , clean the windows.

"Wake up, you lazy bum!!" She would call him every morning at six o'clock. She made him miserable.

That day was not the exception. He jumped off his bed and starting changing into his cleaning clothes. Most of his wardrobe was full of dirty shirts, ripped trousers, old socks. Everything had been passed along the children that lived on the orphanage.

Sighing, he sat on the bed. The boy was very slim, missing meals one day or another as punishment for not cleaning a small spot on the floor or missing a spider web on the corner. He tried to fix his black mess of hair but failed forthright. Frantic steps were heard from outside the door, and mother Katrina knocked the door with a strength that would surely would've brought it down if he didn't stop it.

"I'm coming Mother Katrina" he said hastily as he got up and reached for the door.

He was exhausted of his life, the cleaning, the pranks, the bullying, his loneliness. Someone always managed to make his life miserable every day. But not today, today the nuns would take all the children to the zoo. Maybe today he would have a little bit of fun for a change

"Watch yourself, boy!" sneered Mother Katrina "I will be keeping an eye on you. Don't try to pull any of your…stunts" she added carefully looking from one side to the other.

That was another thing that bothered him to no end. No matter how much he tried, weird stuff followed him everywhere. One time, he got really angry because Katrina had made him clean the lobby's floor four times in a row. She had ended somehow with a bucket of water stuck on her head. It had appeared out of nowhere and no one had ever seen it. He was punished for a week without dinner. No wonder he was thin.

On the bus, Rosalie usually sat next to him so the kids wouldn't harass him. He loved talking to her. She was too an old but then a rather cheerful and nice woman. She used to sneak cookies out of the kitchen when he was punished and she comforted him during hard times when everyone seemed to just hate him.

When they finally got to the zoo, he and Rosalie started walking a little behind the group. At the entrance, he could see a large man, with no neck and a big mustache, lecturing a boy that look a lot like him, although Robert was a little bit taller. The boy looked at him too, and then he noticed he had a bolted scar on his forehead.

He noticed that, although their features were very similar, his face had different factions. Also, the other boy had round rimmed glasses and his hair was longer than his but not as messy. Sister Rosalie bought him an ice cream behind the backs of the other nuns, because they were not allowed to buy sweets to the children.

The boy who had been lectured by the fat man had also got an ice cream and they were walking just in front of him and Sister Rosalie. When they got to the Reptile section of the zoo, she told the little boy to wait for her as she excused herself to the restrooms. Then he looked around and saw the other boy leaning to the glass of the boa constrictor. It was an amazing, gigantic snake. The other boy seemed to be talking to the snake in whispers. He then walked and leaned too to the cage.

-"Hi…" Robert said "What are you doing?".

Harry almost fell of the fence. He looked upon the boy who had been walking with the nun. He was very familiar. His hair was short jet-black, but was fixed everyway and it was messier than his. Also, his eyes were a clear, profound blue.

-"Nothing" he finally answered. "Do you think the snakes understand what we say to them? This one seemed to answer my questions." He questioned Robert a little concerned.

-"I had never thought about it" he told him rather excited. "Let's try it"

Both children then looked directly at the snake's eyes. It suddenly rose from its sleep and stared back at them.

-"Hello" Robert said.

"How are you?" continued Harry. "I am Harry, Harry Potter" he told the snake.

-"And my name is Robert." The other boy said looking suddenly sad.

Then what they had not been expecting happened. The snake looked at him and hissed, and in between they heard some words come out.

-"_Why so sad, boy?"_

The boys looked shocked at each other. Had they both heard right? Was a boa constrictor really talking back to them?

Robert recovered from it and answered –"It's because I don't have any family. I'm an orphan at St. Mark's."

Hearing this, Harry patted him on the shoulder.

"The people I live with are my last family. They are very bad to me but they are all that I have left. My parents and brother died, supposedly, on a car accident."

Then the snake replied once again.

–"_Maybe we can all be friends. I was too taken from my family"_ it said as it pointed a small sign in front of the cage. It mentioned that the gigantic snake had been taken in captivity since its birth.

-"That would be cool" said Robert, a little cheered up. –"Yea it would b…"

They were suddenly interrupted by another boy who Robert recognized as one of the kids that had come with Harry.

-"Look! Dudley Look what the snake it's doing". Both boys were thrown back from the cage by Harry's cousin large, fat belly. Harry then glared at him as Robert tried to get up.

-"Stupid snake, wake up, do it again!" Dudley demanded the huge creature. Robert became angry at this, and so did Harry.

Just then, they heard a faint _pop_ noise, and without warning the glass of the cage was gone, leaving the boa constrictor free. Dudley and his friend immediately jumped back and started screaming like little girls, running towards uncle Vernon who came looking because of the entire racket that they were making. The three of them froze at the spot when the gigantic snake came out of the cage hissing and made her way out of the zoo. The last think Harry and Robert heard was the snake's voice hissing.

-"_Thanksss, My friends"_

As soon as they got up. Sister Rosalie came sprinting and picked both the boys up.

"What happened Robert?" she asked nervously, looking at the empty cage of the boa.

"The glass of the cage just _disappeared" _Harry answered for him.

Giving an apprehensive look to the boy and then to the cage, she demanded an answer from Robert.

"Did you have something to do with it". Robert looked confused

"How could I have taken a glass of that size without anyone noticing sister Rosalie?" he answered hastily.

Then they could hear the voice of Dudley's friend.- "They were _speaking_ to the snake".

Uncle Vernon was furious. He grabbed Harry and pulled him all the way from the cage. Desperately, Harry tried to free himself from his uncle, ultimately failing. Even so, he managed to shout something to Robert.

-"Nice to meet you, Robert!" Sister Rosalie looked at the boy then at Robert. He had finally made a friend. She reconsidered it and would forgave him and would not tell Mother Katrina.

-"Bye Harry, until next time!" Robert shouted as Harry and uncle Vernon disappeared through the corner.

-"Come on, Robert" sister Rosalie said

"We have to meet the others at the bus"

But Robert had his mind on what had happened. How did the glass disappear? Why these things did always had to happen to him? He was grateful Sister Rosalie was there though. He couldn't imagine what would have happened if Mother Katrina would've caught him. Silently, they got on the bus with the other boys and girls and returned to the Orphanage.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since the incident on the zoo. Everything had gone back to normal. Robert was still cleaning the floors of the hallways of St. Mark's and Mother Katrina seemed to enjoy this very much. Harry too was being punished, and just until four days before, his uncle let him out of the cupboard.

It was precisely that day, two before his birthday, in which the first letter had come, and gone too, by the hands of his Uncle.

That very same day, a man appeared down the street of St. Mark's Orphanage. He wore a dark-gray, long coat and matching trousers, half moon spectacles on his nose and a long silvery-gray hair and beard that reached just below his chest. He presented himself with the receptionist and she called Sister Rosalie to come down.

-"Hello, Mr…" she asked while extending her hand to the man that had just entered.

-"Dumbledore" he replied softly "Professor Dumbledore".

"How can I be of assistance Professor?" she told him as she led him through the hallway.

-"I come looking for a boy that has called our attention" Dumbledore told her. "I am informed his name is Robert?"

The nun gave the man a confused look.

"May I ask," she questioned him suspicious of the strange looking man

"How did a child that has had little, if not none, contact with the exterior, called your attention?".

-"Ahh…" the man said while grinning

"That would be because he is a very _special_ boy" remarking the word 'special' made him look even more weird to the nun.

- "If I may have a word with him, I could then explain you and the director the situation". She looked apprehensively at him but gave in to the request.

_-_"Follow me, please Professor" she guided him to the stairs up until the third floor, to the last room in the hallway. She knocked the door and opened it slightly. –"May I come in?"

-"Of course sister" the boy answered. When they had opened completely the door and saw the man, Robert started looking nervous.

"There's someone here that wants to meet you" she told him softly.

"His name is Professor Dumbledore. I will leave you for a moment so you can talk in private Professor" she added, closing the door as she got out the small room.

Robert eyed the man curiously as he took on the pseudo bedroom the boy had grown to call 'home'. The man stroke his beard as his eyes rummaged from the lonely bookshelf on the opposite corner of the room, to the single cabinet next to the bed, finally finding their way to the boy.

"Hello, Robert" said the man softly, extending his hand, "my name is Dumbledore"

Reaching out for the man's hand, the boy greeted him with in a low voice.

"It's a pleasure…"

"May I sit down?" told him the man.

"Yes, of course" said the boy grabbing an old chair battered just next to the cabinet, and setting it in front of the bed.

-"Are you a teacher?" Robert said suddenly –"What subject do you teach"

-"Straight to the point huh?" said Dumbledore, chuckling softly. "Yes indeed I am a teacher" he then paused.

The boy looked eager for his answer.

"But I teach no ordinary subject you have ever heard of, Robert" he continued

"As a matter of fact, Hogwarts, the school that I represent is unlike any other school you have ever seen. It is a school of magic"

"A-A Are you serious" he stammered. "As in real magic? Or bunny in the hat magic? " he then questioned him and stared at him skeptically.

Dumbledore laughed slightly. "As in _real_ magic, young one"

However he hadn't convinced the boy just yet.

"Prove it then…" said Robert crossing his arms.

Dumbledore frowned at this. It was oddly familiar. '_No, it's just a coincidence, it can't be', _he thought.

"Well, if you insist, I'll give you some proof" he turned back, and looking at the bookshelf on the corner of the room a roaring fire started out of nowhere.

The boy's eyes opened widely in shock as he saw the furniture on fire. He turned from the shelf to the man and then back to the shelf. He then frowned and closed his eyelids. Something odd was happening to his body. But Dumbledore did not realize the sudden change on the boy's behavior. A sudden rush of adrenaline coursed throughout the his whole body and he felt a strange sensation surge from his hands. Starting shaking, he raised his left hand, still with his eyes shut, and breathed heavily as the sensation increased.

Something that Dumbledore had not predicted happened. He noticed the boy's raised hand and before he could react, a raging wind blasted in from the windows that had opened abruptly. The force of the wind almost threw him back but he held his ground, grabbing the chair with one hand and covering his face with the other.

The fire was lighted down as the wind grew stronger creating a vortex that sucked the fire out the window. When there was no trace of any flames Robert put down his hand and the wind stopped.

'_Merlin's blasted beard!' _thought Dumbledore _'What are the probabilities of finding such a talented child confined in an orphanage, again? I will need to keep a closer look on this one. Not like Tom…'_

-"Have you always been able to do that?" asked Dumbledore, staring at the boy over his spectacles.

-"Well, yes…" said Robert "since I can remember I can move air and water with my mind. Is that magic?"

It was now Dumbledore's turn to cross his arms as he stroked his beard in deep concentration. The boy was even more skilled than he had thought.

-"Are you able to do any more… _tricks_?" he said, for the lack of words that suddenly hit the old man.

-"Well…" he said as he sat on his bed –"I can sometimes move things with my mind too. And appear them out of nowhere. But most of the times I don't know what I am doing."

-"I see…" said Dumbledore, now grinning.

"I'm very glad to say that you have been accepted to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He added taking a letter from his coat with a dark red envelope.

He gave it to the boy who quickly opened it. As he read it he seemed even more surprised. -"wow" was the only thing he was able to mutter.

Then, something hit him like a brick. –"Err… Professor, how am I going to pay for this. I assume it's not free."

He grinned kindly at the boy

"Do not worry, Robert. You will not have any problem regarding the money for the tuition. Think about it as a scholarship. A full one, I might add."

The boy looked amazingly at the very thought.

"This is awesome professor, sir. I don't believe this!" he shouted almost crying from happiness, but he contained a tear that was threatening to fall from his eyes. He the stood up and hugged Dumbledore and he answered caressing his hair.

'_There is something oddly familiar about this boy'._ Dumbledore thought. '_It reminds me gravely about Tom, but he seems different. He also looks like… no… but It can't be.'_

-"I have more questions for you, Robert" he said as they broke the hug –"But first I must explain the details to your protectors"

He then looked down. Mother Katrina would never let him go. Dumbledore appeared to heard his thought as he told the boy

"I'll deal with them, so don't torture yourself with details now, young one".

The man reached the door knob and left him to his thoughts. He wasn't so sure Mother Katrina would be so easily convinced. His suspicion was then confirmed after twenty minutes of waiting. Shouting could be heard from the first floor. He couldn't make out anything from what was been said. Then he undoubtedly heard Katrina yell at the old man.

* * *

One minute and he will become eleven, Harry thought. He had drawn a birthday cake on the floor and thought of a wish. 20 seconds now. _I wish someone would come and save me_. 10 more seconds. A loud bang echoed in the room he was lying on, but Dudley didn't wake up. 4… 3… 2… 1… he blew the fake cake.

_BOOOOOOOM_

Harry jumped back as the loud knocks on the door rumbled like thunders in the middle of a storm. Dudley was woken up too from the all the noise. The door was ripped off and tossed aside and a gigantic form entered the shack. It was a huge man with bushy, messy dark hair and a equally tangled long beard. Another thump came from behind and his uncle came in, rifle in hand, pointing at the gigantic man that had just put the door back in its place as easy as he had threw it down.

"GO AWAY, I'm armed!!" Vernon shouted at the man

"Shut up, yeh big dumb muggle" said angrily the stranger.

"What did you call me?!" yelled again his uncle. His legs trembling as the giant closed in on him. Vernon made a gesture with the rifle to make him back down but the giant took the gun off him and bent it in a knot like a normal person would tie a shoelace.

"Ey' here yeh are Harry!" said the giant. Harry realized that the man was now smiling at him. As fierce that he may appear, his face showed immense humility and happiness as he stared. "yeh were just a lil' baby the last time I saw yeh'. Yeh look the same as yer father, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes!" he added, wiping out a tear that threatened to come out.

"Anyways" he continued taking something from one of the many bags of his coat - "Happy Birthday Harry!" He was holding a box somewhat squashed from being kept so tight. Inside it was a big chocolate cake, that was made a mess. However, Harry figured out that on the top it had written some words in green topping that read _Happy Birthday Arry!._

_-"_Don't mind the writing, I couldn't contain myself" said the giant a little embarrassed "Oh!, how rude am I. haven't even introduced meself!". Harry listened apprehensively.

"me' name it's Hagrid. Rubeus Hagird. I am Keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwars" he said, extending his large hand and shaking Harry's whole body. "But yeh most already know about the school right eh' harry?"

When he didn't answer, the giant asked again.

-"Sorry sir… er Hagrid sir…" said Harry, stammering.

-"_Dursley!" _ yelled Hagrid turning at the shocked family. –"Do yeh mean to tell meh that he doesn't know anything 'bout the school where his parents learnt it all?!"

-"What do you mean by that?" said Harry

-"Stop!" shouted Dursley "I forbid you from telling anything to the boy!" taking two steps back as he faced the giant.

-"yeh slimy peace of…." The giant started, taking one giant step towards Mr. Dursley. "does he know anything of… _anything?_" he demanded.

-"you make me look like I am some kind of idiot…" said Harry angrily. The giant turned and gave him a little smile –"sorry, 'arry, I didn't mean yeh was stupid or something" he answered. Taking his attention back to the Dursleys, he glared at them once again and then signaled the door.

"get OUT!" the giant shouted –"I don' want to see yeh treating harry bad again or lie to him, yeh understand!!" the Dursley's clearly got the message when they stormed out of the room and shut the door behind.

-"So where we?" said Hagrid, now looking at Harry thoughtfully –"Ah! Yes, explaining!" he once again reached for something on his coat, taking out one of the letters that had been sent all the week to the Dursley's place at Privet Drive.

A little Nervous, Harry reached for the letter while glancing at Hagrid. He then made a gesture, encouraging Harry to open it. The envelope was a Dark Red with golden markings. He pulled out the letter and read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL_

_of __WITCHCRAFT __and __WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: __Albus Dumbledore_

_(__Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards __)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Harry had to read four times before he raised his head looking confusedly at Hagrid. "what does it mean by…" tried to understand as hi read out loud –"witch.. witchcraft and wizardry?" he asked, still unsure of what he had just seen.

"Well yeh see Harry…" the giant said "you are a _wizard"_

Harry stumbled down on the coach, next to the gigantic man. He couldn't really get a hold on what was happening to him. He turned and watched Hagrid apprehensively.

-"How is this possible? I don't understand" asked Harry

"What did the Dursleys told you about the death of your parents" Harry then looked down at his feet. It obviously it was a sensitive topic.

-"That they had been killed in a horrible car accident, along with my brother Ethan"

-"A CAR CRASH?!" Hagrid reaction made Harry back down a couple feet away "Lily and James Potter would not have been killed in a car crash! Not in a million years! They didn't even use them"

Harry was now intrigued, but in the back of his mind he was terrified. How had his parents and brother died then? Why did the Dursleys concealed that little fact from him. Inside of him a mixture of sadness and anger was building up.

-"How did they die then?" Harry asked, trying to hold back a tear.

-"er… I don't know if I'm supposed to be the one telling yeh Harry" said calmly Hagrid, but seeing the glares that Harry was giving him, he opted to explain everything.

"First of all, your parents were magnificent, skilled and very intelligent wizards. But we were living dark times Harry" said Hagrid. "Yer parents weren't killed by accident, no… they were murdered" Harry gasped, still hearing intently, his hearth racing a thousand miles per hour.

"They were murdered by the most evil wizard the world has ever seen… I … I don't… I can't say his name"

"Just write then" said Harry hastily but was answered with a negative from Hagrid - "No.. no… I can't spell it…err… ok…"

Hagrid gestured him to come closer and spoke in whispers.

"Him name was… V… Vo… arghh! Vol.. _Voldemort"_ he finally blurted out "There! I said it, don't ever ask me to say that name again!"

"And… and my brother?" Harry asked, stammering a little "Was he killed too by Voldemort" just as he finished, harry regretted even saying the name. Hagrid let out a screech and the sofa almost fell backwards.

"Don't!... don't say he-who-must-be-named name!" Hagrid blurted out, managing to calm down.

-"Why? It's just a name isn't it" said Harry

-"Yeh don't understand Harry" Hagrid explained. "This man was beyond evil, he killed every man, woman and child that crossed his path. It was more than ten years the time he brought hell to England. They were dark times Harry. He was said to be the darkest wizard ever. No one that stood against him lived to tell the tale!"

Harry was beginning to understand why the gigantic man in front of him couldn't say his name. –"And how was he stopped?" Harry asked

-"Nobody knows for certain" the giant continued "when he had finished of yehr parents, it was time to get rid of you. But somehow, the curse he sent you bounced off and hit him square. Well at least that's what the rumors say. Anyways, yeh became famous after that!"

-"I am famous?!" Harry couldn't believe it. He had spent his whole life under the Dursley's cupboard and suddenly he had become famous without knowing. –"It's not possible"

-"Of course not Harry!" said Hagrid patting him "Yeh see, no one had never, _ever_ survived the curse that he sent you! Yeh became the boy who lived"

-"And what about my brother?" Harry asked, and Hagrid just shuddered "There was no trace of him. He was very little and they never found what happened to him." he answered.

Harry was overwhelmed; it was too much information to process. Hagrid then told him to relax. He would be taking him the next day. So then he laid down on the sofa and fell asleep.


	3. The old man in the book

A/N: I hope you are enjoying the story. Any criticism is well received. A warning though, I intend to make it a bit dark at some times. Anyways as always I do not own any HP or any other JKR material. Reviews plz!

**Chapter 3: The old man in the book**

For the entire night, Robert could not manage to get a second of sleep due to the events from the day before. He was blissfully lying on his bedroom while recalling the early visit of the professor from Hogwarts.

A large smile formed in his lips and he put his arms behind his head and rested on them. He could already imagine himself making things fly everywhere, transforming mother Katrina into an old toad, brewing incredible potions. He let his imagination fly away and before he knew it, sunlight was already peering through his window.

Finding absolutely impossible to stay on his bed for another second, the boy leapt up and changed into his filthy cleaning uniform – not without scowling at the sight of the clothing - and took care of the mess of his bedroom. When he heard the footsteps of Mother Katrina coming up to wake him up, he recognized it should be six in the morning already.

Without any complaints he followed Katrina's orders and took care of the chores in half the time, without having the lack of sleep affect him. When he had finished he let the mop resting on a bucket in the broom closet and made way towards the staircase. He was still daydreaming about the magic he had done without even knowing, when he suddenly ended stumbling down, facing right into the floor. He stood up and watched as some of the older kids laughed about his accident.

Liam was the name of the biggest and insufferable of them. Whenever he would ran into Robert, he would hit him or mock about his uniform. Usually everyone was too afraid of facing him, and under his orders, they would pull pranks and bully Robert.

"So what did the man wanted _Robbie?__" _he said mockingly.

"Are they finally admitting you into a mental institute?" said another boy from the gang.

The whole group erupted in laughter, but Robert just smirked. That made Liam frown and he hit the boy next to him and told the lot to be quiet.

"Why are you smirking, punk?"

"Nothing, Liam" he said innocently

"Oh you are going to tell me…" he said clutching his fists.

"Well if you insist…." He said "Actually, the man that came yesterday wanted to give me a _Scholarship_ for his boarding school"

"No. That's not right" said Liam dumbfounded. Just as him, the other boys were looking at each other in shock.

"Go ask mother Katrina then…"

"I will, no one on their right mind would admit you in a school, let alone give you a scholarship."

"Whatever…" said Robert as he climbed the stairs, leaving the groups of boys perplexed.

After taking a shower, he went back to his room, almost knocking back Sister Rosalie when he bumped the door.

"Oh my god, Sister are you ok?" said Robert helping stand up.

"Yes of course Robert, don't bother" she said softly.

After fixing her robes, she put a hand around Robert's shoulder and gestured him to come inside his bedroom. She then took a seat on the old chair Dumbledore had used just a day before. Robert sat then on top of his bed oblivious to the package that Sister Rosalie had put there a few minutes before.

"Oh Robert" she said with a brief smile "I'm so very happy for you. And I see that you are very happy too. I can see how excited you are, since you didn't sleep for a single second, did you?"

Robert blushed softly before replying

"Not really Sister, you caught me"

"It's ok Robbie, I just know this is what you deserve"

"Thank you Sister"

"Anyways" she said cleaning some tears that had fallen to her cheeks "I have brought something for you"

She raised her head pointing to the package behind Robert. It was pretty big, rectangular and wrapped in a light brown cardboard. He shook it but it made no noise, and he noticed it was as heavy as it looked.

"Mother Katrina did not want you to have it" she said softly "But in light of the recent events I have found it unfair to keep this from you. You carried it when you first got here that cold night on December. I don't think you remember because it was freezing and the first thing you did was get into this bed."

Robert noticed the sadness in her voice and left the package on the bed and went to hug the old lady. She wept to his shoulder as he told how much he was going to miss him. He answered in the same way with a single tear rolling by his cheek.

"I don't know how you managed to bring it up with you. It's weights like a ton, and I couldn't understand a single thing on it"

Robert raised his eyebrows in confusion, but the lady just gestured him to open the package. He nodded lightly and began tearing the cardboard but stopped when the nun got up.

"I'll leave you to it" she said softly holding the door knob. "I suppose it is a rather private matter"

And smiling softly she excused herself.

Not wasting another moment, he took off the wrapping from the present and was met with the most amazing book. Its bright white cover was decorated with silver patterns of a metal he had never seen. He ran a finger through the surface just feeling the texture of the cover, made of another strange material. The book emitted some sort of metallic echo at his touch, and seemed to be emanating a soft white light.

In the center it had a symbol. Three long golden ovals were positioned at 120 degrees from each other, joined by one end, in which a circle was inscribed and over them three circles surrounded them, creating the same pattern. On top of it, strange symbols were written in silver.

He was amazed by the book, wondering what sort of secrets it would contain.

'_Or maybe it will tell me where I come from…' '_the boy thought.

It was maybe the very first clue of what had happened to him before he arrived at the orphanage. He stared at the book for several minutes, analyzing it from every angle.

When he stopped again at the front cover, the metallic echo suddenly increased, reverberating loudly in the room. His hearth thumped hard as he held the mysterious book.

_Bum boom. Bum boom. _

He couldn't take his eyes off from it, his gaze fixed on the strange symbol on its cover. He began to feel sleepy and his eyelids would not respond to him, shutting down with every second.

Just a moment before he fainted, he came to his senses and slapped himself. - _What in bloody hell just happened -_ he thought. The echo of the book began again, enticing him. The book wanted him to open it. He took the cover in his right hand and slowly turned it over, with his eyes shut, in case something tried to attack him.

When nothing happened, he slowly opened his eyes again and was met yet again by the symbol of the cover.

_It's_ _nothing special_.

But he had talked too soon. A bright blue light started pouring out on the middle triangle of the sign, engulfing the boy in matter of seconds.

He tried to scream for help, but nothing came out his throat. The air became heavier, making it impossible to breath. He gasped as he stretched his arm to cover the book again but failed and everything went pitch black.

…

_Where am I?..._

…

_Am I Dead?.._

…

_Wait, is someone there?_

Dizziness overtook him and slowly opened his eyes. He could see a white silhouette in the distance but he couldn't figure out what it was. It was moving erratically towards him, getting bigger as it approached.

…_Or is it me who can't walk straight?_

The white shade stopped and he barely made out what it was. The fierce stare of a Dragon stood steady in front of him. He dared not move, thus avoiding being detected by the gigantic white monster. He tried then to turn around, but the sudden need to vomit stopped him.

Everything was a blur. He could see several sources of a dim whitish light that barely illuminated the room he was in. His eyes would only allow him to see correctly a few feet away but he was pretty sure the room stretched endlessly.

He stumbled down on the floor, barely managing to lessen the hit with his hands. He coughed and tried to get on his feet, but his efforts were useless. His body wouldn't answer to him.

_Come on… come on! ... Get up!_

In the distance, he could hear a faint sound of a _clunk_. Behind a long white pillar another figure started walking towards him, hitting the ground with his staff as he advanced. He couldn't make out if it was a man or something else. His gaze then turned against the dragon that stood still, not even noticing the sudden appearance of the figure.

He felt water running on his right hand and then noticed that he had fallen next to some kind of pond or fountain. Using all the strength he could muster, he pushed himself away from the floor with his hands and roughly stood up. His vision then recovered a bit, and he could make out that he was indeed next to a gigantic fountain. He glanced up and saw that the Dragon still didn't move.

He laughed then at his own stupidity when he realized that the monster was only a statue, set on the middle of the fountain. Finally taking on its features, he saw that it was a magnificent sculpture. Its figure was incredibly imposing, his long neck stretched, body resting on a stone, wings opened menacingly and his eyes remained looking straight, filled with an amazing pair of shining blue diamonds.

He finally made out the other figure, and indeed was a man. His long robes were a bright white, just as the statue behind, and his face shadowed by a hood. On his left hand he held the long silver and white staff, engraved with the same symbols of the book. On the top edge of the staff, encased by four claw-shaped lines, stood a metallic-blue diamond.

With slow, steady steps, the figure made way to the astonished boy that stood trembling by the sudden appearance of this person. Just four feet away from him, the figure stopped and struck the floor with the staff.

Blue light emanated from his staff as the entire room trembled and the figure raised his voice commandingly, speaking in a language he had never heard before. He then took the remaining steps towards the scared boy.

"Er… sir… what are you doing… stop!"

The man ignored him and left the staff magically standing motionless on the ground without falling. The man then put his hands on either side of Robert's head and muttered a spell:

"_Â__min assa fealle nim Val_'_istar__"_

His head started to feel warm. A tingling sensation started going down from his head throughout his body, and then to his arms and legs. Then the feeling changed and he became cold, starting backwards, from his extremities up to his head. Then, abruptly, without expectation, he felt his head exploding and held the man's hand in an attempt to keep steady.

A swirling blue vortex surrounded him, speeding up as the pain grew in intensity. Seconds seemed as years and then, the vortex finally started to slow down. He gasped for air, exhausted for the extensive amount of pain. His head ached like nothing he had ever felt.

The man struck once again his staff onto the ground and again a dazzling light blinded the boy, and everything went black.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, he was again at his room. He leapt up quickly and his head turned all around until he was sure that he was truly back at St. Marks.

'_Was it real?'_

He found the book opened on his crossed legs. He glanced quickly and disregarded it. But doing a double take he noticed there was something different. The symbols were not there anymore. Instead, there was writing in his same language.

-"What in bloody hell…" Robert muttered as he closed the book and read the top cover

The book of Magic

Heritage of Myrddin

_How blazes can I read the book?_ He thought.

It had not been a dream. He had actually been kidnapped or abducted or something. Who knows what the man had done to him. He started reading some of it and frowned.

Inside, the book contained teachings: directions to perform spells, ingredients of potions, classification of different magical herbs. He was astonished at how much information the book contained.

The sudden high-pitched scream of a girl made Robert jump up nearly instantly.

_How much time did I sleep?! _

Something was very wrong, as he heard a storm raging outside, and darkness had consumed the whole orphanage. He stood up and by instinct picked up the book. He heard then as a metallic object fell from the pages of the book as it clanged. Turning back, he saw a golden key and picked up without hesitation when he noticed the lights of the orphanage started going off and on.

Then there was more shouting, children and adults alike. An unmistakable rumble of an explosion roared from below. He went slowly outside, as the other kids ran to the opposite end of the hallway.

Making way slowly to the stairs, he tried not to make any noise. He could hear a nun pleading as a dark cloaked figure pointed a wand. The nun was not on his sight but he felt she was scared to death.

-"Where is the book! …" the figure demanded in a hoarse voice.

-"I don't know, please, oh God, please I don't know" the woman said pleading

Robert knew what was going to happen. He willed his legs to move, but they didn't respond to his command. Then the dark figured muttered something to himself.

"_**D**_ _**ô**__**lens Nexeo**__**"**_

The woman then screamed in agony as a red flash was directed to her , and Robert could feel her convulsing in the ground, tears falling to his shirt. The cloaked man then moved towards a hallway stepping on the nun as he walked. More screaming was heard as the figure disappeared.

He then forced his legs to move and took another staircase.

_Just two more floors… please… _

As he reached the second floor, he heard a woman's high pitched voice call another curse upon another woman.

"_**Corpus Deleox"**_

Another one fell screaming, this time along with ripping sounds and breaking cracking noises. It was horrible; he could see blood splattered all of over the hallways. He continued going down the stairs until he reached the first floor. Death stench penetrated him. It was disgusting.

On his way he could see the corpses of children and nuns alike. He could not contain his sobs anymore, as he saw the faces of little children ripped apart, arms broken, legs cut off. Some of them had suffered such atrocities that he dared not look, while rivers of blood ran down his shoes.

Luckily on the first floor he didn't encounter another attacker but stood froze at the sight. In the middle of the floor, with his face twisted sickly, was Liam, along another two of his friends. He turned around in disgust, sobbing thoroughly. He just couldn't bear any more of it.

_One more floor…_

He finally got to the lobby and he pushed himself to run for the main entrance when he saw another cloaked figure and stopped on his tracks. Thunders crashed as the storm grew with the night, and the lights from the lobby buzzed trembling from the explosions above. Two more figures appeared from the hallways on either side from Robert. The three of them stretched his arm, wand in hand and prepared to cast a curse, but Robert beat them to it.

Something had overtaken Robert. His eyes had gone blank and his teeth were gritted. He felt the rush of adrenaline course through him once again. But this time it was different. He could actually feel the power and anger rising throughout his whole body. Instantly blazes of flame formed on his hand.

"_**Naur:**__** Aikanaro tinechor"**_ he said as he extended his right arm while keeping the book to his chest with the left hand.

_Where did that come from!?_.

An amazing blaze of fire surrounded him as a blood-red flash from the first attacker bounced off the fiery shield he had just summoned. The blazes then collapsed into his hand and he quickly put the book down.

The three figures followed silently the boy with their hidden faces. Then they glanced at Robert. His face had become red and his eyes showed pure anger. Recomposing themselves, the three attackers raised up their wands.

A second blaze formed on his left hand, and he stretched it creating once again the fire shield. Flashes came from every side towards Robert, but somehow the blaze of fire managed to deflect them. It zoomed from side to side whenever the attackers would send a curse and it stretched just at precise times. One particular black curse almost broke through, barely stopped by the flame. This only made Robert angrier and he stretched his other hand previously calm, without putting down the other.

"_**Naur: Daenor Anmegil"**_

He thrust his hand towards the attacker who had sent that particular curse and the second flame shot towards him. The figure was trespassed by the flame, catching on fire and ran the opposite way.

The other figures continued their attack and Robert began to get tired. He struggled to keep the shield up as more curses flew against him. Then, just before the shield collapsed, another voice rose behind the cloaked figures.

"_**Impedimenta maxima!"**_

Glad to hear a voice he knew, Robert fainted as everything went pitch black once again, just to be awoken, several hours after, by a very concerned Dumbledore, and many others that he didn't know, talking between themselves.

He shrugged as he recalled the moments of agony he had lived. Dumbledore noticed it and gave him a soft grin. He had talked to him for several hours, trying to comfort him. But anyone would know that such an experience would change a boy's life forever. He tried to shake his memories, but he just could not bring himself to do so. He had just seen Sister Rosalie's body, completely _broken_. She was one of the first ones to fall. She had died trying to protect one of the smaller children of the Orphanage, but neither made it.

Dumbledore was angry. He could never have imagined such a nice old man could bear that look on his eyes. It frightened him. Dumbledore noticed this and immediately changed it to his usual soft smile. He nodded and Robert understood perfectly. They were going to find who had done this.

The boy then started rocking on the ground, leaned against the furthest corner of the lobby, with the book on his arms, sobbing for the many lives that were lost that night. The boy's lament was heard for miles around.

* * *

Harry did not have much sleep the night before, perhaps for the enormous amount of information he had to process. Just yesterday, well, that day at midnight, he had found out he was a wizard. Hagrid, the gigantic man had explained almost everything he couldn't understand of his past. It disturbed him that someone he had never met knew more of his childhood than himself.

Not finding a way to get his sleep back, he got up and went outside the hut. The storm had finally calmed down and the sea was peaceful. The sun was just rising on the horizon and the waves crashed weakly. Seagulls were flying on the distance, making way towards the beach just a couple miles in front of him. It was actually an spectacular sight, he thought, while not having the storm wreaking havoc.

He heard a couple of loud steps behind him, and he knew that Hagrid had woken up.

"Beautiful day, eh Harry?" the man said stretching his arms and yawning. "However we can't stay lad, we have a long day, so let's get going"

He magically drove the boat, as it surfed the ways with impossible speeds. Hagrid had asked Harry not to tell anyone about this little detail.

"Why Hagrid?" Harry asked anxiously "Aren't you a wizard too?"

"well… er…" Hagrid studdered "I was expelled from Hogwarts on my third year"

"Really?! Why?" said harry confused

"Never mind Harry, we're almost there"

They finally got made port and traveled to London to buy Harry his school stuff. They traveled to London by the underground train, and although Hagrid knew where he was going, he seemed confused. He didn't use to get there by the normal means or _muggle_ ways as he called them.

On the way Hagrid explained many things about the magic world, the ministry of magic and its obligation to maintain order while making sure muggles did not discovered them. He talked about Gringotts, the wizard's bank, and the goblins and the many spells and monsters that took care of their gold and how much he wanted a Dragon. Then something hit him

"Hagrid, How am I going to pay for all this?" he said reading the list of materials that came with Hogwarts letter.

He had been carefully inspecting it as they walked by a very busy London street. Harry had never been to the capital city and he was marveled. He turned to Hagrid in confusion as he waited for an answer.

"Blimey Harry! Did yeh think yer parent's would leave yeh with nothing!" Hagrid exclaimed "they left yeh an account of yer own."

"Oh really?" said Harry relaxing, at least one problem was solved.

"And where can we buy this stuff, I don't think I have ever seen a dragon hide glove before, and I am pretty sure these books won't be for sale at any bookstore"

Hagrid laughed, patting Harry on the shoulder with his gigantic hands, almost making him trip.

"Don't worry, yeh just have to know where to look" he said, chuckling.

Then Hagrid took him to a small tavern, just between two tall buildings. People just seemed to pass by without noticing, although he could see some very old man in a purple cloak going inside.

_It must be bewitched or something_ thought Harry, and before he could ask Hagrid about it, he had already pushed him inside.

For a famous wizard pub, it was pretty dark and gloomy. He could read a sign on the bar that read _The Leaky Cauldron._ Several strange looking people were sit on the tables, minding their own business, some of them swirling their wand, summoning drinks into their tables, reading strange books and talking amongst them.

The chatter stopped just as they made way inside. The bartender recognized Hagrid immediately and walked to greet him, stopping on his tracks when he looked at Harry. He observed him carefully from head to feet, and then he noticed the bolted scar on his forehead and jumped in excitement to greet him

"Merlin's Beard! It's Harry Potter!" said the Bartender as he shook Harry's hand.

Hagrid had not been lying when he told him he was famous. Soon enough, he was surrounded by an anxious crowd waiting to meet the boy who lived. Another man in a black cloak, with a violet turban on his head shook his hand and spoke in a trembling voice.

"H-h-Harry P-p-otter" the man said stammering "It i-i-s and h-honor m-m-meeting you!"

"How are you Professor?" Hagrid greeted the man "This is Professor Quirrel Harry. He teaches in Hogwarts Defense against Dark arts" he added, and the man shuddered at the mention of the assignment. He looked pale, like he would faint any second.

"It is a pleasure too professor" said Harry.

More people made way to shake his hand as they walked through the pub.

"Doris Crockford, , I can't believe I am meeting you at last"

"I am delighted Mr. Potter, I just can't tell you how much. Dedalus Diggle, such a pleasure!"

-"I have seen you before!" Harry exclaimed remembering the episode at the market making Diggle's hat fell of.

"He remembers!" looking proud at everyone "Did you hear, he remembers me!"

It took them almost twenty minutes to get away from the crowd as they made way to a small, walled courtyard.

"Told yeh, yeh were famous!" said Hagrid, reaching for the magic umbrella "Even Quirrel was trembling. Mind you, he's always trembling"

"He seemed nervous, is he always like that?"

"Well, nope. I think his trip to Romania caused him much to stress. I believe it had something to do with a meeting with a vampire and then some trouble with an ol' hag"

_Vampire?_ _HagS?_

Harry's head was revolting. Meanwhile, Hagrid tapped a brick just above a trashcan. In matter of seconds, the walls bricks started moving, forming an archway.

"Welcome to Diagon's Alley" said Hagrid.

Harry could not believe his eyes. As the archway on the wall closed, he wished he could have eight eyes. He tried to look in every direction, to the many stores that stood before him. Cauldrons of every material, shone against the sunlight.

A witch was complaining to the store manager about the prize of the dragon hide. He glanced then to the Eylops Owl Emporium, for the many hoots that were coming out. Then in the middle of the street stood a white, big building that toped over the other shops.

"Gringotts" Hagrid said

They crossed the bronze doors of the building in which he then saw a strange creature. It was a small, rather ugly looking miniature man with long ears and nose.

"They are goblin's" said Hagrid "Never dare _lie _ to them, they can be easily upset and yeh do not want that. They take very seriously their job of money keeping too and they are very strict with their methods."

Several hundred goblins stood behind a golden long counter, sitting on high stools in order to observe everyone in the room. They made way for the counter and spoke to the first free gobbling they could see.

"Good morning" said Hagrid "We have come to pick money from 's vault"

"very well" said the goblin in a screech "Did you bring the key, sir?"

"I think I have it here" he started looking in the many bags his coat had, finally taking out a small golden key, with the name _Potter_ engraved on it.

"Yes, everything seems to be in order" the goblin replied.

"Ah yes, there is the matter of Dumbledore's letter" he said taking a small envelope out.

"That will not be necessary" said a calm voice behind them.

There, in a deep blue cloak, and a pointy matching hat stood an old wizard with a silvery beard that reached just below his chest. Next to him a boy of Harry's age watched the building carefully just as he had when he entered. He immediately recognized him.

-"Robert!" Harry exclaimed, startling the boy as he greeted him.

-"Hey! Are you a wizard too! That is brilliant!" Robert exclaimed. But there was something different from him, he couldn't figure out what. He noticed a tad of sadness on his voice.

"Ah I see you have already met" said Dumbledore in his soft voice.

"Hello! Professor, I see that you preferred to grab the _object_ yourself, everything okay?" said Hagrid. Robert was astonished at the size of him, he had to look up to see the man's face.

"Let us not discuss here, I have other matters to attend, so I will be picking up the item myself Hagrid. I appreciate your concern, and I assure you there is nothing to worry about." Replied the old man.

"Meanwhile I would like you to help this young man buy the materials for the first year. Let me introduce you to our Gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, Hagrid this is Robert one of the newcomers." Dumbledore said turning to Robert.

Hagrid stretched his hand and Robert carefully looked from Dumbledore, to Harry and then he finally shook the giant's hand.

"Hi" Robert managed to mutter. Harry noticed he looked pale and scared, and he had bags under his eyes.

"It's a pleasure" said Hagrid, grinning at the scared boy "Oh yes, Harry, this is Professor Dumbledore, Hogwarts Headmaster" Harry shook the old man's hand, nervous about meeting the Headmaster before the school even started.

"Robert will accompany me to Hogwarts vault and into vault seven hundred thirteen."

Two goblins greeted the lot, one of them taking Dumbledore and Robert to a silver door next to the one that Hagrid and Harry went in with the second Goblin.

Griphook, as he had been called, led them through the tunnels on a cart that seemed to go at the speed of light for what it seemed hours.

Dumbledore's trip to Hogwarts vault was faster, being closer to the top floor. He was amazed with the enormous mountains of gold that were scattered throughout the chamber. Dumbledore smiled at the incredulous look that Robert had, and took a pretty big amount of gold into a bag.

"I'm certain this will cover everything you need for this year. I have also added another lot for you to spends as you see fit" said the old man, not without giving a warning "Remember, this is a lot of responsibility, use this gold wisely" but giving Robert a soft grin he told him he could buy a present as a welcome from him.

However, the second vault needed top-security clearance and was farther below. The goblin that went with them warned them not to get close or they would be sucked in to the vault and left there to rot. Robert shook his head in fear, and Dumbledore just chuckled at the goblins remark.

Inside of it was a small package, which Dumbledore took hastily, not without addressing to Robert.

"I beg you not to mention this particular detail to anyone, Robert", and the boy just nodded, though confused at how important such a small object could be. Dumbledore noticed again Robert had gotten paler.

"Are you ok, dear boy?"

"Yes, everything's fine" he said, trying not to remember the day before. Nevertheless, on the way up, memories flooded him, almost crying at what had happened on the night he had opened the book, silently cursing himself.

"Are you certain you do not wish to talk?" Dumbledore asked in his calm, soothing voice. "You don't have to go buy your materials right now if you don't feel like it."

"I-I'm fine" he said stammering "I-I-It will pass" he said, cleaning his tears with his arm.

"It's ok to mourn the ones we care about, never be afraid to" he added.

"Yes, _pops_…" he trailed off. "I do want to get my stuff"

-"So is it okay if I leave you with Hagrid?" he questioned "I have to attend to some matters"

-"Yea, I will wait for them here, don't worry"

As the trolley arrived at the entrance, Dumbledore excused himself, not without gave a reassuring nod to Robert.

-"Everything is going to be fine, my boy" he said finally and disapparating.

Robert then watched all the goblins doing their job, attending the witches and wizards, even the strangest ones clothed in extravagant purple or red cloaks, with their faces covered.

When he arrived back at the lobby, Hagrid was already waiting him, with a smiling Harry alongside, who just like him, had just get the shock of their lives, of having an such a huge amount of money.

Hagrid had not spotted Robert, but Harry was already smiling wickedly at him. They were both thinking the same thing: To spend as much money as they could. Both of them had never had a dime to spend during they childhood.

Eager to accomplish this, they raced out the doors of Gringotts, followed closely by Hagrid. There they could see all the strange and marvelous stores that formed Diagon Alley.

Their first visit was the cloak shop. The door sign read _Madame Malkin's Cloaks for all Occasions, _ but before they entered, Hagrid excused himself to go buy a present for Harry.

-"It is not necessary, Hagrid" said Harry blushing.

-"nonsense! I will get yeh something nice." Hagrid ignored him "Maybe an owl! They 're pretty useful!"

Robert then cleared his throat and pulled Hagrids huge cloak a little to call his attention.

"Er… Hagrid, sir" said hesitantly Robert "er… Dumbledore said I could get a present. If it's not too much a problem, maybe… maybe you could get me a pet too."

"Of course, lad" said Hagrid cheerfully. _He really like animals _Harry thought at the sight of the huge man's smile.

"Maybe a bird, but I rather have something… _different_ you know… wilder, if you catch my drift…"

"Ah!" said Hagrid "A man of good taste. Will be done Robert, now go get yer cloaks while I go to the pet shop"

As they stepped in, they were greeted by a small, kind looking lady that offered them a seat.

-"Hogwarts, Dears?"

-"Yes, ma'am" they said in unison.

On the back, a pale looking boy was being attended; his cloak pinned on every side. The woman then came back and told them to get on a footstool, and putting their own cloaks, she started pinning their cloaks everywhere too.

-"So, Hogwarts, eh?" the pale looking boy asked. He had a rather pointy looking face. Both boys just nodded.

-"My mom is getting my books and father is looking for the potions stuff. Where are your parents? Are you brothers?"

-"Nope. And my parents are dead"

-"Oh, I'm sorry" the boy regretted.

-"Never mind" they both answered.

-"Do you know what house are you getting" the boy tried to change the mood.

"All my family has gone to Slytherin, so I figure I will too. I rather die than being chosen to Hufflepuff though."

Both Harry and Robert shook their head, not understanding a word that the boy was saying.

"I can't believe they are letting their _kind_, attend school" said the boy looking to a young witch followed by her parents that were surely muggles. _That sounded racist_ Robert thought.

"They should all be banished"

Luckily, he was interrupted by the Madame Malkin.

"Here, you are done, dear" she said, taking the cloak off and delivering it to the counter.

Just as quickly, they both had paid for their cloaks and turned to see Hagrid walking behind the window, carrying to big cages. On his left hand, he brought a beautiful, snowy owl, magnificent on every aspect. He then handed the cage to Harry.

"Happy late birthday Harry!" he said cheerfully.

"Her name it's Hedwig, she looked pretty smart, and she will carry all yer mail and deliver it without any problem"

Harry looked very surprised, it was the first time he ever got a present from anyone and thanked Hagrid a thousand times before he told him it was nothing. Then it was turn for Robert.

-"I did as you asked and got something _different" _ he said handing him the cage on his right hand.

Robert's eyes widened and Harry's jaw dropped. Before them stood the most amazing bird they had ever seen. It had blue-gray back, barred white underparts, a black head and prominent beak.

-"It is an Australian Peregrine Falcon, just imported" he said excited.

Harry reached to touch it but the falcon shrieked and reached for him trying to bite him. Harry immediately flinched and thanked he had gotten a calm one.

-"He's got to be trained though, as yeh can see. He almost ripped of meh finger twice now!" he said.

But Robert paid no attention. He was now gazing directly at the yellow deep eyes of the falcon, diving in to them. Both Hagrid and Harry observed the interaction carefully. Then they gasped.

Robert's eyes had turned the same color of the falcon's, looking defiantly to the bird. Ten seconds later, the majestic bird bowed and gave a soft caw, and Robert recovered the blue on his eyes. Hagrid was beyond himself.

"Oh ho!" he exclaimed. "yeh're a natural boy!, I just started liking you more!"

"Have you thought of a name?" asked Harry now relaxed at the presence of the Falcon that had too eased into the company of the three of them.

-"_Halion"_ muttered Robert.

"Interesting name" said Hagrid thoughtful.

"It's a cool name" Harry added.

With a grin on their faces, the three of them continued their shopping. They visited the Apothecary where they saw all kinds of ingredients for potions, which mixed and gave a horrendous smell. Next they went to Flourish and Blott's, a bookstore with all kinds of titles that didn't stop amazing both boys. Hagrid checked their lists, and took them away from buying a racing broom.

"Last stop is Ollivander's" said Hagrid.

Not without grabbing a sundae from Fortescue's Ice cream Parlor, they arrived at a small, shabby store in which sign read with golden letters:

_Ollivander's": Makers of fine wands since 382 BC_

Wands. That was what Harry and Robert were looking forward to. Nervously, they opened the door, and a tinkling bell announced their entrance. Soon an old man came walking and stopped when he looked at Harry. He scanned him up and down, glancing of course to the lighting scar on his forehead. _That is uncomfortable_ Harry thought

"Ah, Mr. Potter, I was expecting you one of these days" the man said.

"Yes, you are exactly like your father, but with your mother's eyes. It seems like yesterday when both came here for their own wands."

"Hagrid, long time no see… and you brought another newcomer too, splendid" the man added.

Harry and Robert looked dumbfounded. The man then stepped behind the counter. Behind him, thousands of small narrow boxes where piled up to the roof. The man then glanced again at Harry, pointing at his scar.

"I'm sorry I also sold the wand that did that. Thirteen and a half inches, yew. A powerful wand… just in the wrong hands… If I had known…" he trailed off.

"Now get up on the stool" Harry quickly obliged and the man started taking measures of every angle of his arm and torso.

"Which one is you wand arm"

"Er… I am right handed" Harry said.

He seemed to ignore Harry as he reached for one of the boxes in the back.

"Mmm…" the man said "Try this one. Beech wood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

He had barely even grabbed it when the man took it from his hand before he could give a small wave.

"No, no. Let's see, ebony and unicorn hair. Eight and a half inches… give it a go…." The same result again. Several wands later, Ollivander seemed to want to give up. He then raised an eyebrow.

"Could it be…" he muttered, he said reaching for one of the boxes on the top. "Try this one Mr. Potter, eleven inches, Holly and Phoenix feather, unusual combination"

When he got the want, a warm, tingling sensation came over him, as a flash of red light spiraled around him from the floor to his face. Robert looked in awe as the glimmer banished on Harry's wand.

"Curious…" the man muttered.

"Sorry, Mr. Ollivander, but what is curious?" Harry asked

"You see. I remember every single wand I ever sold Mr. Potter. The phoenix that lent its tail for this wand gave only two feathers. IT is curious that the only other wand with that same core was the one to give you that scar."

The three of them stood speechless at the revelation

"Indeed strange things happen. I think we should expect great things of you Mr. Potter, as _he who must not be named_ did great things too… terrible, yes… but great."

Harry wanted no other thing than to run out of the store. But Robert was next to get his wand.

"Hmph" said the man looking from Harry to Robert. "I would swear you are the same person. But never mind, let us begin."

Before he could even formulate his question, Robert had already raised his arm.

"I am a left–handed" he said hastily, trying not to get very nervous.

"Ah, eager are we?" he said, as he started taking his measures.

Then the dance started again. Mr. Ollivander brought at least a dozen wands, and none seemed to like Robert. _Maybe I won't be allowed to be a wizards, and all of this is just a mistake… _he thought, but his thoughts were interrupted by a rumble from the back of the store. Several shelves with wands had fallen and scattered on the whole floor.

The old man the cursed all the way to the back to check what had happened, then he stopped on his tracks. One of the boxes had been trembling, enthusiastic to get out. Ollivander picked it up and brought it back to him.

"Curious…" he said again.

'C_ould he stop being that creepy'_ Harry thought.

"This is an even unusual combination. Made out of a foreign wood, named _Ironstick_. Not even I know where to find it. 14 inch long, with a core of a chimera scale. It has been on the store for centuries. Here give it a try" he told Robert.

Just as he grabbed it, the lights on the room faded. The floor next to him trembled as the surge of power built up in his body. _Or is it just my hand? No, it is just me._

Then, just as it had happened with Harry, a dark blue flash sparkled around him from the ground and stopped on their wand.

"Ah… of course…" the man said "Well, you must certainly be a special boy, indeed."

"Why is that?" Robert asked confused.

"First of all, that is a very rare wand; Chimaeras are rare and very powerful creatures. Proof is, this very wand was made by my great-great-grandfather, and had yet to choose a wizard worthy for bearing it. The second reason is the color of your magic"

Harry stared confused. _That's true, mine was red._

Hagrid was amazed with everything and couldn't suppress a smile.

"What does it mean" Robert asked "The color of my magic, does it mean something"

"That I do not know." Mr. Ollivander replied honestly "It is something only you can discover."

With that said, they paid seven galleons each, and left the store, bagged with everything they needed. They convinced Hagrid to give a quick visit to the Quidditch store on their way to Leaky cauldron, but were disappointed when he told them that first years weren't allowed to bring brooms or even do magic outside the school.

"Hagrid, where am I going to stay?" said Robert sadly "Dumbledore didn't say nothing"

"Blimey, Rob, I don't know" said Hagrid worried, putting his hand on Roberts shoulder. "he didn't tell me either"

"Not to worry boys" a voice said from behind them

"Hello again Professor" said Hagrid smiling at Dumbledore.

"I can see you have finished with your shopping. Robert let's get going" he said softly.

"Well I guess I will see you at school" said Harry

"Yeah I guess, see you then. Bye Hagrid" said Robert sadly.

Harry followed Robert and Professor Dumbledore with his eyes until they were gone. Then he looked up to Hagrid and was answered with a huge smile.

"Well, time to go lad"

"Oh yay" he said sarcastically "Let's go see the Dursleys"

Both of them chuckled and disappeared through the entrance behind the leaky cauldron.


	4. The message of the hat

**Chapter 4: The message of the hat**

Harry found his way up to King Cross station, and revised again his ticket anxiously. Hagrid had just disappeared, leaving him shocked without a chance to question him. He re-read the ticket once again for confirmation and reckoned that the ticket would not change.

_Is it some kind of joke?_

Grudgingly he made way towards platform 9 and was disappointed when indeed, platform 9 ¾ did not exist. He mentally kicked himself for not asking Hagrid sooner how to find the Hogwarts express. But at that right moment, a red-headed family swooped next to him muttering between them.

"Yea… those weird muggles"

It was the last word that caught Harry's attention and glanced at the family that was now standing in front of the pillar of platform 10. His eyes widened as one of the eldest boys ran directly against the wall but instead of crashing, he disappeared through it. Then, getting closer, he heard the lady urging two other brothers who were unmistakably twins.

"Go on George!" said the Woman rushing the first of the twins.

"Really, woman, I would expect my own mother to know my name"

"Can't you see that I am George" said the other twin.

"Oh sorry Fred, you too look the same" she said barely paying attention, as he tended to the younger boy.

"We were just kidding mother, I am George" the twin said as they ran, disappearing into the wall.

"Err… excuse me ma'am" said Harry

"Yes, dear" said the woman kindly "Oh, you are Hogwarts right?"

He nodded in reply.

"Well I suppose it is your first time. Ronald is on his first year too. And this young lady is Ginny" she said gesturing to the youngest boy, and a little girl that was hiding behind her.

Her brown-hazel eyes met Harry's and they were immediately locked. Just for a couple seconds they immersed in each other for what it seemed ages. During that moment he wished to be lost in those beautiful eyes forever. Harry had to shake his head to get his head straight.

"How can I get into the platform" Harry asked, trying to sound nice.

"Oh, of course dear. You just have to go straight at the wall and try not to call much attention from the muggles. That simple!"

He looked at the younger boy nervously. The red-headed then spoke for the first time.

"Don't worry its easy. You just follow me… let's go, ill race you…"

And with that the two boys ran for it and quickly passed through the fake wall. Several dozens of boys and girl were saying their goodbyes to their parents, getting their trunks to the train or meeting with other students their age. Many of the carriages were already packed up so they hurried to one of the last ones, as the red train's engine started and some white smoke came out the smokestack.

"Fred, George, why don't you help these two, it is their fist time" the woman said just after she and her daughter crossed through the gate.

The two twins helped them get both trunks into the corner of the compartment as Ron took Hedwig's cage. One of the twins suddenly pointed at Harry's forehead.

"What is that?"

"_No way!" _ The other twin said "Are you?

"Huh?" asked harry absent-mindedly

"_Harry Potter?_"

"Oh! Him…" Harry said "I mean… me… yes… yes I am"

"_Wicked!" _ They heard both chorus, as he walked inside the aisle of the train.

There he heard the twins outside making jokes of the eldest brother, before saying good bye to their mother and sister.

"Oh I'm so proud, Percy!" said one of them in a mocking tone.

"A perfect. Who would have imagined?_"_ the little girl laughed at their remark. As the last one of them got to the train, they yelled back to their mother.

"Guess who we met on the train, mom?"

"Who was it Fred?" the lady asked

"Remember the boy we helped on the platform. It was none other than _Harry Potter_. You know, the short one, with black hair?

"Oh mommy! Can I go up the train to see him?" the little girl shrieked and jumped excitedly.

"No, dear, you are too young to get on the train" the mother said, grabbing her arm to keep her of getting inside.

"Oh mummy but I'm ten! I will be in Hogwarts next year!" the girl replied but was ignored by her mother who turned again at the twins.

"Are you sure?" she asked

"Yeah we saw the scar and everything!"

"Oh poor dear, he was so polite when he asked us for help"

Harry then wandered on to the train looking for a free compartment but found none. On the last one he saw a single boy seated, staring out the window. Seeing that he was probably his same age, he opened the door. The boy, hearing the door sliding, turned to see him and Harry opened his eyes in surprise.

"Robert!" exclaimed Harry

"Hey Harry" answered Robert. Harry noted the same tone of sadness in his voice, though he quickly hid it with a smirk and nodded.

"Come on, sit down" he added pointing to the seat in front of him.

"How was your week with your family?" asked Robert still smirking.

"Oh just lovely" answered Harry scowling and taking the seat that Robert had pointed

"We were a bundle of joy and happiness together me, my aunt, his stupid husband and my whale of a cousin"

Both of them let out a loud laughter, catching the attention of the neighbor compartments. Then the door opened up and the red-haired boy entered quickly, catching his breath.

"Err…" started Robert "Hi?"

"Oh yeah" said the boy "sorry, can I sit here? My brothers are trying to pull a prank on me"

"Sure, hop in" said Robert and watched Harry confused.

"Thanks" said the boy as he shut the door behind him and sat next to harry.

"I'm Ron by the way, Ron Weasley"

The door slid open once again and the twins were back.

"Hello Harry, did we introduce ourselves?" said one of the twins smirking. They had refrained of whatever they were going to do to Ron.

"We are Fred and George Weasley. I see you've met little Ronniekins here. Listen Ron were going to the middle of the train, Jordan says he has a giant tarantula."

And with that they left and Robert shut the door again. He then glanced at Ron, who was still trying not to look at Harry's scar. Robert then broke the awkward silence.

"Hey, err… I'm Robert" he said extending his hand to Ron. He gladly took it and did the same with Harry. This time he didn't even try to look away the scar.

"Is that where… you know?"

"Yes… but I can`t remember anything" Harry answered, trying to cover the scar with his hair. Ron blushed slightly.

"Oh, err… I'm sorry about your folks…" Ron said nervous

"It's okay…" Harry said.

"Is your family all wizards?" Robert asked trying to change the mood, although not really interested, since his mind had drifted back to St. Mark's.

"Yes they are. I think my mum has a cousin that is a muggle but they don't talk much about him"

"You must know loads of magic already!" Harry exclaimed

"Not really… most of first years don't have a clue of how to do a spell… even muggleborns stand the same chances."

"But it must have been cool to have lived with magic all your life" interrupted Robert.

They spent a couple hours talking about wizarding and muggle families. They got a bunch of treats from the trolley, trying almost any candy and sweets they could get hold off. Harry even got a Dumbledore card from his Chocolate frog, along with Merlin and Morgana.

During the whole conversation they notice Robert had started looking gloomy and depressed but they quickly ignored it when he started joking along with them.

An hour later the door from the cabin opened up and a girl with brown mushy hair and a bossy tone of voice entered. She glanced upon the three boys and stopped by Ron.

He was staring hard at Hermione but quickly composed himself. He had been trying to show the other boys a spell that his brothers had told him to turn his rat yellow just before the girl busted in.

"Hello. I'm looking for a Toad. A boy just lost it back there, have you seen it?" the girl said.

The three boys shook their heads. The girl then noticed that Ron had his wand out.

"Oh you're doing magic! Let's see it"

Ron smirked lightly but quickly cleared his throat. He mumbled a couple of words but they only made the rat jump a little and run under his cloak.

"Damn you Fred!" Ron exclaimed

"The spell didn't seem quite a real one" the girl interrupted him.

"I've tried a few spells myself. I'm actually the first one in my family ever to be… magical, but they were very surprised when I got my letter. I just hope that reading all the books by heart will be enough"

The three boys just stared shocked at her speech and shook their heads.

"Well I have just tried the simpler ones." She added, looking at Harry.

"Oh my god! You are _Harry Potter_"

"Yes I am"

"Yes he is" added Robert rolling his eyes, which made both Ron and Harry laugh, but it quickly faded when the girl stood serious, sharp looking at Harry. Then she turned to Ron.

"My name Is Hermione Granger" she said "and who are you?"

"Call me Rob…" he said lazily, gazing outside the window.

"And I'm Ron, Ron Weasley" the red headed said.

"Anyways, you should change into your cloaks… we will be arriving soon. I've just asked the driver". And with that the girl went out the carriage and closed the door.

"At last…" said Ron. But two seconds later the door slid open again and the pale, pointy-faced boy entered along with two big not-very-smart looking boys.

"Is it true?" he asked "Everyone is saying that Harry Potter is here"

"Yeah, want an autograph?" said Rob bluntly.

"I wasn't speaking to you moron" the boy answered. "My name is Draco Malfoy, this is Crabbe and Goyle. You shouldn't be _socializing_ with this scum" he added extending his hand

"I can help you with that. You will find that some wizarding families are better than others"

"Thank you I can sort it out myself" Harry answered.

"Have it your way then" Malfoy answered, taking his hand back "But you should remember to be careful. Or you will end up like your parents and the little stupid brother of yours…"

Malfoy only managed to smirk for one second, because after that his cloak caught on fire. Harry and Ron were red, and about to explode, but in his hand, Harry had formed a little fire ball but banished a second later. Running like idiots, Malfoy and his two bodyguards got out the carriage and Rob got up and shut the door.

"Bloody hell, Harry what was that?" Ron asked.

"It looked like you were on fire" Rob stated with a frown.

He wasn't really surprised. Just a week ago, he himself had done magic without knowing. Or that was what Dumbledore had told him, since he couldn't remember doing it. He pushed those memories back and tried to concentrate on what had just happened.

"That Malfoy…" he continued "he's kind of evil"

"I've heard his father was one of the first to return after who-must-not-be-named was beaten by you…" Ron added.

For a third time the door slid open again. The girl entered again coughing and her face was blackened by the smoke.

"What were you thinking?!" she shrieked, cleaning her face. "You could be reported. Who did it? Who made the spell?"

The three boys looked at each other anxiously. They all knew It had been Harry but they weren't about to rat him out. Hermione crossed his arms looking menacingly at them.

Again Ron looked at her nervously. Rob noticed it and frowned but quickly looked again at the girl, who looked pretty angry by then.

"Well, I'm waiting"

"You can keep up waiting" said Ron hesitantly, and the girl raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want me to get a prefect?" said Hermione.

"You wouldn't"

"She wouldn't what?" Two voices from behind said. Hermione jumped away stumbling into Ron who blushed furiously as he helped her get up. Both Weasley twins grinned amusedly.

"Who's your girlfriend" said Fred

"Way to go bro. Not even first day, that might be a record." Said George

"Or not" added Fred looking at an angry Hermione, red from the embarrassment. She stormed out of the cabin and went the opposite way from the prefects' carriage, muttering something under her breath.

"So you like'em feisty, eh Ron?" said George, making everyone laugh.

"At least we know you _are_ into girls..." said Fred smirking at him.

"Ha ha ha…"

"By the way, who burnt the hell out of Lucius Malfoy's son? Quite a show eh? Percy barely got him before the fire could do serious damage. He sure looked pissed."

"Me…" said Harry somewhat nervous.

"Nicely done!" Fred said while both of the twins patted him on the shoulders. Rob looked amused, suppressing a laugh.

"Harry '_Blazing' _Potter_" _George gestured a sign with his hand.

"Just don't let'em catch you" added Fred

"You will be just fine. Be careful, Especially with Snape" he said

"He will not be very… _tolerant_ with 'misbehavior'…" and with that they stormed out of the carriage.

"We should get our cloaks… I can see the castle" said Ron

It was simply majestic. The medieval fortress solemnly awaited on top of a hill. Its towers watched over the immense grounds, where a lake stood next to a stadium Harry figured it was for Quidditch. On the far side of the castle, was a small hut on the border of a dark, gloomy forest, its windows lighted and smoke was trailing out the chimney. Eventually, they stopped and a familiar voice commenced calling for the first years.

"First years! Come with me!" Hagrid said.

"Hagrid!" Rob and Harry exclaimed.

"You know him?!" asked Ron silently.

"Yes, he is the gamekeeper" answered Harry "He's quite cool"

"Oh… ok"

"Hey yeh boys. How was the trip" the giant man asked.

"It was ok Ha…" Harry stopped bluntly.

A girl passed in her way towards the lake. Her face was unlike anything they had seen. It was a deep white, almost to the point of being translucent. The four of them had chills running through their spine as she descended from the train. Her hair was dark and long, and her eyes were a penetrating clear blue with a glint of green, and they had a menacing look. However, below the gloomy stare they noticed she was rather pretty. Hagrid shook his head.

"That was creepy" he said, making the three boys recover from their stupor.

"Come with me, we will get to the castle by boat"

He took the first years to the lake border where a couple dozen boats awaited for them. The lake stood steady beneath them as they approached the castle. The moon lured out of the top of the castle, lighting their way up from the dark night sky.

They finally reached the opposite side and walked steady to the stone steps before the entrance of the castle. It's wooden, amazing gate quiet before the amazed students. Hagrid then walked the last steps and knocked the door three times.

They were received then by a tall, old witch in dark green robes and a pointy hat. He had a strict look on her eyes and immediately earned the silence from the chatter of the students.

"Thank you Hagrid I will take the first years form here"

"You're welcome professor McGonagall" answered Hagrid and went back, shutting the doors with him. The Entrance Hall was gigantic, its wall lighted dimly with torches and a marbled staircase in front of them led them to upper levels.

As they walked, the sound of hundreds of voices started growing on a doorway to their right, but the woman led them to a small chamber outside, where they were tugged in too closely for their liking. There she turned back at the students greeted them

"Welcome to your first term at Hogwarts. Before the opening feast begins, you shall be sorted for the different Houses. This is matter of serious importance since your House will be your home during you school year. You will attend classes with your classmates from your House and you will spend the evenings and free time on your common room.

The four houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. During your term, your development will be qualified with House points. For your triumphs and achievements you will earn points, while rule breaking will make you lose them. At the end of the year the house with most points will earn the House Cup, a reward for those who had made their effort during the term."

With that the witch opened the door to the Great Hall and quickly shut it.

"I hope I get in Gryffindor" said Ron but was suddenly interrupted by Hermione

"I suppose that's the best one. I read Dumbledore was in it. Ravenclaw seems ok but I would hate to get into Slytherin"

"Why?" Robert asked confused

"Well, supposedly most of the Dark Wizards have all came out from there. I read it in '_Hogwarts: A History'…_"

"How do you think we get sorted out" asked Harry, changing the subject.

"I don't know. Fred told me it was some kind of test" answered Ron

"I hope he was joking." Said Rob

Everyone around them was silent. Only the whispers of Hermione could be heard, while she muttered every incantation she had read. Then McGonagall came back and everyone gave a step back. She was furious. The word furious seemed an understatement to her glare. _Fuming_ was more likely.

"I have been informed…" she said trying to contain her anger

"That someone from the first year's performed an incendiary spell on the train. I expect an answer immediately"

Someone smirked at this and they saw Malfoy looking proud, muttering to his two companions.

"Well…" she said standing still rooted at the entrance. The voices on the main hall were getting louder and seemed anxious. "I'm waiting. Who is the responsible of this?"

Robert saw Malfoy was about to point out to Harry and shook his head.

_I can't believe I'm doing this… ill get expelled! _

He then took a step further facing the killing stare from McGonagall. Everyone gasped as they saw him lower his head and sighing.

"It was me, Professor" said Robert. McGonagall stood unfazed glaring at him.

"You will wait for me in here, young one" she said. "Everyone else, form a line and follow me"

As they all stumbled to the main Hall, Harry waved at Robert. Ron just nodded and he saw Hermione shook her head in disgust.

_Urgh, perfect I won't even get to the sorting_._ Shortest stay in Hogwarts ever…_

* * *

He could hear the great hall quiet down a bit when the first years came in. On the hall, Harry looked nervous everywhere. On middle of the air hundreds of candles floated, lighting the four long tables, decorated with the four colors of Hogwarts banner. In the front there was the teachers table with only one chair empty. In the middle Dumbledore stood smiling at the newcomers.

Harry saw the two Weasley twins waving at him and his brother. Then they imitated Harry`s '_Blazing_' act, and he had to turn away, feeling a little embarrassed.

_It should have been me… he might even get expelled_.

McGonagall then walked to the front and whispered something to Dumbledore's ear. His smile faded a bit and followed McGonagall to the room where they had come out.

"Damn, mate. He's going to get it now" said Ron

"He shouldn't have burn the boy" said Hermione just behind him

"Leave him alone" said Harry "it shouldn't have been him"

"Then who?"

"Me" Harry said looking at the ground in shame.

* * *

The door of the room opened startling Robert. What he feared was about to happen. He could see the disappointment in McGonagall. But then he saw Dumbledore enter the room.

_Oh no…_

He had forgotten. What will Dumbledore think about him? He wasn't going to be able to bear the look of disappointment that the Headmaster was surely going to give him. Especially after what he had done for him so he could attend the school.

"Would you give us some privacy Minerva?" said Dumbledore "I have a few words for this young man"

"Of course Professor" she answered, leaving the room.

Dumbledore followed her all the way until the door was shut. He then turned to see Rob and smiled lightly. Robert then felt the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

"What happened Robert?" said Dumbledore softly.

"I… sort of _burned_ Malfoy's robes, Professor" he answered

"And what would give you the impulse of doing so?"

So much calm was making him nervous. Would he star yelling at him? He couldn't stand it. He felt he had failed Dumbledore.

"Well, h-he was insulting H-h-Harry's parents, he told him he would end up like them" he said stammering. "And I got furious and then it just happened"

"Oh, well. Things like this happen commonly. You will have to train yourself to control your emotions" said Dumbledore.

"Wait" Robert said astounded "I will not get expelled?"

"No, my boy" Dumbledore chuckled "However you will lose some points for the house you are chosen to"

"Oh well. I'll have to work hard to get them back I guess" said Robert, now at ease.

"That is the spirit" said Dumbledore winking. "The sorting will begin now so go get on the line."

"Thanks _pops_" Robert said. Dumbledore put an arm on his shoulder as he led him to the door and winked.

"Just remember not to call me that on the school. Anywhere else you can, so don't worry" he said grinning. "Now, let's go"

They pushed the door and everyone looked at them intensely. Obviously everyone was waiting for the feast and didn't take softly on the boy who had just come out.

Harry saw Robert join the line, his face red from the cruel stares of the other students already sat on the tables. Dumbledore then reached for the top chair and opened his arms, speaking high into the void ceiling.

"Welcome to a new term at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! And Welcome to our new students who will begin the fantastic journey into the world of magic" as he said this everyone cheered and Harry relaxed a little bit.

"Now, before the delicious feast you obviously are waiting for…"

"We hungry!" yelled the twins, making everyone laugh

"Of course, of course" he said fixing his spectacles. "First we will have the sorting of the new years. Approximately a thousand years ago, four young but incredibly skilled wizards and witches got together. They decided to create a school. A school were they would pass on everything they had learned, and where they would teach the new wizards the values and traditions of our world. So then, Hogwarts was born. Their names _Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin._ Let the sorting begin!"

He then took an old and dirty hat from behind the table and gave it to McGonagall. It had a rip on the middle that twitched a little bit, like a mouth, muttering some words. She then put the hat on a stool in front.

"So we just have to try it on!" said Ron

"Phew" said Harry; at least he wouldn't screw up in front of all school.

"Oh well…" said Hermione

Harry then glanced to the back of the row looking at Robert. He nodded and Harry responded him likewise.

_Everything is okay. _

However he still felt very nervous, not courageous or brave.

McGonagall took out a roll of parchment and cleared her throat, demanding attention.

"When I call your names, you will put the hat on and sit on the stool to be sorted. She said "Let's begin. Abbot, Hannah"

The pink-faced girl stumbled through the line, and put the hat on and it fell right down her eyes. She waited sitting on the stool. A couple of seconds later the rip on the hat spoke high.

"_Hufflepuff!"_

The right table rose up and cheered to the new comer and it was then turn for the next one. "Bones, Susan"

"_Hufflepuff!"_ the hat yelled again.

A couple more were chosen to the different houses and were received gladly. Then it was turn for the bushy haired girl. She looked nervous when the hat covered her eyes, but moments later the hat yelled.

"_Gryffindor"_

Moments later after a couple people more students, it was turn for Malfoy, who had barely put the hat on when it had already spoken.

"_Slytherin!"_

Robert was struck. Why McGonagall hadn't called him? What if he wasn't chosen to any house? Harry was nervous, having the same thought crossing through his mind. Three more passed to the front and then was his turn.

"Potter, Harry"

The Hall went silent. As he walked to the front he could see most of the students muttering and whispering. Some of them just stared blankly at him, too astonished.

"Potter… did she say Potter?"

"_The_ Harry Potter?"

He didn't pay attention to all the whispers and walked directly to the hat. He put it on, but it didn't fall down to his eyes. He looked upwards and something strange happened. The hat had shrunk!

But no one noticed. The hat fit him perfectly when, for everyone else, it had been too big to wear it. However Dumbledore looked more interested.

A voice then spoke to his ear.

"_Ah! So the first one has come! Where shall I put you!"_ the hat asked.

'_The first one of what?' _thought Harry.

"Please, not in Slytherin"

"_Not, Slytherin. But you certainly have the qualities, you will be great. NO? Well then it shall be"_

"_GRYFFINDOR!"_ the hat screamed. Then, as he put it down, it grew up to its previous size.

He was getting the loudest cheer of all, and he was relieved by not getting chosen to Slytherin. Everyone on his table greeted him fervently, several arms patting him on his shoulders. He then looked at Dumbledore and he was smiling softly at him. He then saw Robert on the line, but only he and four people were left.

When it was turn for Ron, he dumbly stumbled to the stool and was quickly chosen.

"_GRYFFINDOR"_

He ran back to his table where he was received cheerfully by his brothers. McGonagall cleared her throat once again for the next student. Only Robert, another boy and the pale looking girl were left.

"Varenkov, Tanja"

The room fell silent as the girl walked towards the stool where the hat awaited. Her clear eyes show no emotions as she reached for the hat, but before she could grab it the hat screamed.

"_Slytherin!!!"_

The girl smirked a little but went completely blank again as she sat next to Malfoy. He tried to call her attention but was utterly ignored.

The last person before Robert then walked to the front. "Zabini, Blaise" said McGonagall.

"_Slytherin!"_

Robert was now alone. All the stares were fixed on him now. Dumbledore looked at him strangely, half amused, half serious. McGonagall was reading the last name and quickly raised her sight looking at Robert. She was shocked and her hands started to tremble.

"What is happening" asked Harry and was answered by the Gryffindor Ghost, who he had just met.

"I do not know. The professor seems _scared_ by the name. I can't explain it"

"What? Is he _you-know-who _relative or what?" asked Ron.

McGonagall then turned and walked towards Dumbledore and muttered something quickly to his ear. The headmaster just nodded and answered softly. Then, recomposing herself, McGonagall walked to the front and cleared his throat. The muttering that had been spreading got down in an instant.

"Dumbledore, Robert" she exclaimed

…

* * *

_The man reached the door knob and left him to his thoughts. He wasn't so sure Mother Katrina would be so easily convinced. His suspicion was then confirmed after twenty minutes of waiting. _

_Shouting could be heard from the first floor of St. Mark's. Robert couldn't make out anything from what was been said. Then he undoubtedly heard Katrina yell at the old man. _

"_That is impossible!!..." she was speaking with anger like nothing he had ever heard._

_After another half hour, the yelling stopped. He could hear someone coming up the stairs and stood up and paced until they finally reached the door. He was met yet again by the soft smile of Professor Dumbledore and Sister Rosalie. It appeared that she had been crying._

"_I have news for you, Robert." he broke the silence._

"_Because of the reluctance of the lovely…" Dumbledore paused for a second. Katrina was far from being lovely "…Manager of this institution, you cannot attend to our school while being a member of the orphanage."_

_Of course, everything was too perfect to be real. He was going to be stuck there forever._

"_Therefore, I was forced to find another solution" continued Dumbledore_

"_As of this moment, it is my pleasure to announce to you that I have formally adopted you". _

_Robert felt dizzy. Is it possible? It didn't quite hit him yet. Adopted? It was unreal._

"_S-S-Soo…" he managed to let out "I will leave… with you?" _

_Dumbledore nodded cheerfully. His heart was going to come out off his chest and explode from happiness. He jumped around the bed and hugged Dumbledore and then sister Rosalie who wasn't able to hold back her tears anymore. _

'_Finally everything is going to change' thought Robert._

"_The school will now be your home" said Dumbledore "During summer vacations you are to remain in the premises and through the terms you will be able to study with boys and girls your age, learning everything needed to become an amazing wizard!"_

"_Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Robert said jumping in his bed managing to take out a laugh from both adults._

"_For the moment I need to attend some matters, but I will be picking you up, unless of course I am unable to. In that case, a member of the staff will take you to get everything you need and direct you to the Hogwarts Express the 1__st__ of September. Any questions?" asked Dumbledore._

"_Only one, Professor" said Robert nervously, now sitting on his bed. _

"_Am I going to have a last name now?" Again Dumbledore grinned at the innocence of the boy._

"_You will certainly have one mister…" he said "From this day on, you shall be known as Robert Dumbledore!"_

_Again, he couldn't contain himself as he threw himself to a massive hug to Dumbledore. The tears that had been threatening to come out were finally shed. It was too much to take in._

"_You have given me the most amazing gift" Robert said, still weeping, _

"_I could not have asked for a better present for my birthday!!" he exclaimed. He then let the professor go and went running to Sister Rosalie _

"_Sister, Sister!" he shouted_

"_I have been adopted Sister!" She embraced him in the most soft and caring way. _

"_I'm so happy for you Robert!" she sobbed _

"_I'm going to miss you, Robert, so much!"_

"_I will miss you very much too!" he said, now sobbing along with her _

"_But I will visit you every chance I get. I promise!" he exclaimed, letting go of her. "And then I'm going to do all kinds of tricks for you!" he said cheerfully, getting a laugh out of Dumbledore. _

"_I'll be waiting to see them" she said, wiping out her tears._

"_I'll be leaving you. I have some matters to attend for. Professor, if you need anything I will be happy to help you anytime. If you would excuse me." She finished, closing the door behind her._

_-"Professor?" asked Robert, _

_-"Yes, Robert? I can see you still have a lot of questions…" answered Dumbledore softly grinning at him._

_-"Well…" he said doubtfully "I was wondering something" he nodded at him so he continued_

"_Is it normal for wizards to speak to animals?" Dumbledore suddenly felt uneasy. _

_This was more than familiar to him._

"_What kind of animals can you speak to" he asked calmly. _

"_Well, most animals seem to understand what I tell them…" Dumbledore relaxed a bit, until Robert Finished "But some days ago a snake spoke to me and another boy"_

_Dumbledore was struck at these words _

"_Did you say another boy?" he questioned almost accusingly. _

"_Well yes" said Robert now embarrassed. Dumbledore was angry at him, or so he thought. "…he looked my age, too. Actually, he looked a lot like me and had a bolt scar on his forehead"_

"_Really, now?" Dumbledore said, finally letting out the air that he had been holding. _

"_It is not to worry. Some very special wizards are able to do that, but don't go telling everyone about that, ok Robert?"_

"_Yes, of course Professor" he decided to let it go and changed the topic. _

"_So… am I to call you professor, or should I call you something else?" he said blushing a little._

"_Let's make an agreement" said Dumbledore "While attending school you are to call me Professor Dumbledore or just professor. Even so, as soon the classes are over, you may call me grandfather or any name you wish. Is it okay for you?"_

"_It's perfect Professor! I mean, pops" he said._

"_Well, I must get going" said Dumbledore smiling at him. "Don't forget. I'll be coming to pick you up soon enough" and with that he left the room, leaving an excited boy jumping on his bed again. I'm going to be the best wizard of all times! He thought. Then he tried to lie down and sleep for the night but the anxiety wouldn't let him._

_

* * *

  
_

…

"WHAT?"

"Huh?!"

"WHAT?"

The furious whispers started again and Rob looked red as a tomato. He just glanced quickly at Harry nervously and turned to the front where the stool awaited him. Dumbledore had to call for silence before Rob started walking towards the hat.

"He didn't mention that particular detail" said Ron angrily.

"Well he might have had his reasons" said Harry but he was also very confused. He should have told him. Then he realized he had been in an orphanage before.

"When did he get a child" asked Fred just a couple sits next to him.

"He has no son or daughter, much less a grandchild" said Percy just in front of the twins.

"There has to be an explanation" said Hermione

"I know why" said Harry as he saw Robert get near the stool. All the people who heard him turned abruptly.

"Really?!" exclaimed Ron

"Did you know he was a Dumbledore?" asked George and Fred simultaneously

"No, I didn't ask him" Harry answered. _Why didn't he tell me? _

"It is his story to tell, so don't ask me any questions"

Everyone turned to see how the sorting was going. Rob had sit on the stool and was about to put the hat on. Just like it had been for Harry, the hat didn't fell down his eyes, and it shrunk just to the proper size for Rob's head. Nobody seemed to notice this.

"_Ah, the other heir has arrived. You seem more… prepared than your brother, young one."_

"Huh?" Robert mumbled.

'_Brother?!! How does it know I have a brother?!!'_

"_Well, you certainly got what is needed. But ultimately I cannot choose a house for you. It will be your decision. I don't do this very often so you might as well be grateful. I must warn you before, boy. Upon this decision resides the fate of the entire world as we know it. Do not take lightly this choice. Slytherin will offer you ways to become powerful. Gryffindor will take you on the path of truth and bravery, Ravenclaw will entice you with knowledge and Hufflepuff will make you the most noble and humble wizard. It's your choice"_

"Gryffindor" Robert whispered

"_So it is done then"…_

"_Gryffindor!!" _ The hat screamed.

Once again the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers. It was not as loud as Harry, and some of them were still whispering. The fact was that no one knew or had heard of him. As he walked to sit next to Harry, the twins got up and patted him on the shoulders.

"It's great, now we all are in the same house!" said Ron "by the way, you didn't tell us you were Dumbledore's grandson!"

"Oh…err…" said Rob nervously "I didn't want to spoil the surprise?"

"Don't worry, Rob" said Harry "I think I understand what you going through"

They turned back and saw that many faces where observing them, whispering and pointing at the two boys. Again Dumbledore rose and cleared his throat.

"With the sorting finished, I just want to add a few words before the feast" everyone turned to see him

"_nargles, tea, twitwil, duntun"_

And out of nowhere, the golden plates in front of them had been filled with the most delicious food they had ever seen. Everyone started digging in, but Rob, Ron and Harry swallowed their food faster than anyone.

"Hungry much?" asked the twins chuckling.

"I didn't know someone could eat that much" said a boy next to them.

"Try to live with wizard-hating muggles as a family and you would understand" said Harry.

"Oh, right" Said the boy, extending his hand towards him.

"I'm Seamus, by the way. Seamus Finnigan. I have heard much about you. My dad is a muggle too, but luckily they did feed me" he added amused at the three boys.

"What's your excuse Ron?" asked Percy "our parents do feed us you know?"

"I'm just hungry" he added as he swallowed his mashed potatoes and took in pumpkin juice. Hermione just glared at him.

"So, why hadn't we heard about you, Robert" asked Percy "After all, Dumbledore is considered one of the best wizards of the century…"

"Er…" he said, almost choking with his roasted beef "Well, let's just say I was… _unavailable"_

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you too" the red-head answered.

After they had finished dinner and the dessert afterwards, Dumbledore called for the prefects to take the new students to their corresponding house. Of course, not without adding some warnings to the new students, as well as the Weasley twins, about the Forbidden Forest and the prohibited magic items.

"_I will also like to add that this year __the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."_

"Was he being serious?" asked Ron to Percy. He nodded.

Percy then signaled the newcomers from Gryffindor to follow him. After quite a few stairways, that kept moving as they pleased, they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady who asked for the new password.

"_Caput Draconis"_ said Percy

"Correct"

The portrait then swung open and they entered the common room. It was a round, cozy room full of squashy armchairs. It was painted in tones of red, the color of their house. The boys then went to their room and the girls to theirs. At the top of the staircase they found six four-posted beds with red curtains, each with their names.

Next to the beds were their trunks with their pets on top. Halion was eyeing carefully at Scabbers, Ron's old rat.

"Err…Rob?" said nervously Ron "Your… bird is trying to devour Scabbers with its eyes"

Robert then looked directly at Halion's eyes and for a second his own eyes became just as the falcons. Before anyone could notice his eyes turned normal and _Halion_ turned to Ron and bowed before him.

"I seriously don't know how you do it" said Harry

"It looks that you have trained him very well" said another boy. He was the one who had lost his toad on the train.

"Neville right?" said Rob

"Yea, nice to meet you" said Neville "Neville Longbottom" he said as the six boys exchanged greetings

"Ron Weasley"

"Seamus Finnigan"

"Dean Thomas"

"I think you know our names" chuckled Harry.

"But just in case…. I'm Harry Potter" he said

"And I'm Robert Dumbledore" said Rob lazily as he yawned.

"Well, Good night" said Ron.

And with that, the six tired boys landed on their beds and quickly fell asleep. Only Robert stared to the ceiling. His face changed. He looked angry, his eyes burning the top of his bed. He then fell asleep. But in the back of his mind a beast growled impatiently.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, dizziness overtook him. He tried to get up and slowly pushed himself up from the hard, cold floor. Everything was a blur and he could barely make out a dim white light illuminating the room. Then he was met by the statue of the white dragon.

He managed to stand up on his feet, and as in cue, the old man in white robes appeared out of thin air. Robert could feel his anger rising and the beast inside him roared. It was not a pleasant feeling but he couldn't care less. Clutching his fist, he prepared mentally to jump and attack the old man. But before he could take a single step, the man hit the floor with his staff and Robert was stuck on spot.

"I'm aware of your anger and I understand the reason that is causing it" said the man in a low, yet powerful voice.

"But you need to prove that their sacrifice was not in vain… Learn from the book, and by doing so, you will be able to control the power within you."

"No wait" said Robert

But the man had struck the floor once again and the room disappeared in front of his eyes. When he opened them once again, he was back at the Gryffindor tower and everyone was fast asleep. Ron snorting was the only sound to be heard.

Robert then got up hastily and found the white book on his lap. His anger rose to impossible levels but he remembered the words from the man.

_Prove that their sacrifice was not in vain…_

He then opened the book and started reading. He would train hard and learn everything the stupid book had for him. It had been his entire fault that the orphanage had been attacked and wasn't going to let it happen again. One last thought kept him from sleep though.

_The sorting hat did say I have a brother and I will found out by any means._


	5. Turmoil between classes

**Chapter 5: Turmoil between classes**

The wind swept by his face, making his hair stir with the flow of air. He took a deep breath and the morning breeze filled his lungs. On the far side of the fields, majestic mountains stood as a barrier from the outer world. The rising sun cast shades of green and amber over the mountains making the forbidden forest and the lake visible.

The curtains fluttered softly as he took another breath and he let a tear, just one single tear, slide down his cheek. And that was the last one.

He stretched his right arm and let Halion fly down and land on it. The bird seemed to understand what he was feeling, as the boy gently caressed his plumage. He envied the magnificent bird, being able to soar through the skies, without any worries or regrets. Only through his imagination could he achieve a mere delusion of flying as the bird did. He lifted his arm and the falcon rose again to the sky.

Leaning towards the wall, he shut his eyes and clutched his head with his fists. Images of St. Marks started replaying on his mind, a twisted playback of all the deaths that he had witnessed. He gasped, yearning for air and the beast within him roared in anger.

_STOP! Please just make them STOP!_

As when Robert felt his roommates stirring, the images stopped and the roars from the beast subdued. Glancing one last time at the sight of the Hogwarts fields, he looked down and grabbed the book that was lying on the ground adjacent to the window, and put it inside his rucksack. He breathed heavily, the sensation of something that crept within him made him scared and disgusted.

The night before he had been reluctantly reading the white book, but his attitude changed when he discovered the vast amount of information it contained. It varied from the simplest most basic spells to the most powerful incantations he could imagine. He was shocked when he randomly turned to the last page only to find that even more appeared from the back of the cover. He wondered, as he read a bit from the first chapters, if the book could hold a whole library worth of information.

Two hours later, he had eagerly tried to perform the simplest spells, only to find out they were not as easy as he would have thought. That was when he had noticed how uneasy he was feeling. Every time he got frustrated or angry or remembered about St. Marks, he would feel the strange rush and on the back of his mind he could sense something lurking on his insides.

_Something dark…_

Harry and the other boys finally got up after half an Robert had been leaning against the window and Neville, Seamus and Dean had watched him apprehensively. Ron was the last to get in his uniform and somehow he managed to gather all his things.

"We need to go to the great hall" said Robert, urging Ron to hurry. The three other blokes had left ten minutes ago.

"Cheer up, mate" said Ron absentmindedly as he took the last book and put in in his bag "You give me the creeps with that look of yours"

Suddenly realizing that he had been frowning, Robert eased up the muscles on his face.

_I have to fight this..._

"I was just remembering the incredibly disgusting snores that you were letting out last night. I barely managed to get some sleep" Robert countered.

Harry had to look away to hid his laughter, but utterly failed when hi couldn't retain his hand on his mouth. Ron scowled at Robert and hit him on the shoulder. What he wasn't expecting was the response of Robert, and suddenly he found himself lying on his back, after stumbling over his own trunk.

"Come on lads" said Harry "Let's try not to make McGonagall pull us to detention before classes begin"

"Yeah, sorry about that" said Rob chuckling lightly.

"Yeah, whatever" said Ron "Anyways, I-do-not-snore" he added bluntly.

"Oh believe me Ron" said Harry reaching for the door "You DO snore"

They entered the common room a few seconds later, and opened the doorway of the fat lady and rushed down the stairs, not caring who they tripped with, making their way for the great hall. They noticed people whispering everywhere they went.

"_look at the scar"_

"_Did you see him"_

"_Dumbeldore's grandson…"_

"_There he is! Harry potter!"_

Rob mildly scowled at the comments that followed them and as if on cue, the whispering increased.

_Can't they get any more obnoxious..._

They ran faster to avoid the stares but when they reached the doors of the great hall, they had to stop abruptly and the three boys stumbled to the floor. McGonagall eyed them curiously, her lips sealed shut. Many students that were passing by the scene laughed as the three of them tried to get up.

"Potter, Weasley, Dumbledore" said McGonagall sharply "ten points from Gryffindor will be taken. I will not take lightly any misbehavior, regardless of any last name. ARE WE CLEAR?"

The three of them stood up and lightly nodded. Rob was the first to straighten up and answered nervously. Clearly, McGonagall was not a professor you wanted to cross.

"Of course Professor, this will not happen again. May I add that you look stunning today" said Robert as Harry and Ron tried not to laugh and followed him.

"Absolutely ravishing, Professor" said Harry

"Just beautiful" added Ron

They noticed her blush a little but she composed herself in a split second.

"As much as I like the compliments I will not be light on you three" she said extending some parchments to them.

"Very well, here are your schedules, students." She said, lending them a piece of parchment and excusing herself.

"One would think the Head of our house would go lighter on us" said Ron

"Clearly you do not know McGonagall" said a voice behind him. Ron jumped instantly and almost tackled two Hufflepuff girls from second year.

"Easy brother, we did not mean to startle you" said Fred with a devilish smile.

"Merely trying to lend some of our brotherly advice" said George

"Although I must reckon you managed rather well Mr. Dumbledore" said Fred "You boys have potential"

Fred and George left them a bit worried as they sat down with a couple of good looking third year Gryffindor girls.

They made way through the great hall, laughing and joking. They stumbled with a group of fourth year Ravenclaws that eyed them angrily before they sat down and grabbed some breakfast and read their schedules.

"Well, we have charms, Transfiguration, Herbology and Astronomy today" said Harry.

"Astronomy seems boring" said Ron "I can't wait for Defense against dark arts."

Rob was just staring at his food, not listening to what they were saying. Dozens of owls appeared from the tall windows, taking packages of things the students had forgotten at home. On the far side of the hall, Malfoy smirked as he took out a bunch of sweets from his parents, and on their table, Neville received a rememberall from hir grandmother.

Back at the Slytherin table the pale looking girl that looked like she will kill the first boy to ask her out and just a couple sits left from her was a tall blonde haired bloke. He was surrounded by giggling girls and a bunch of stupid guys that laughed at a dumb joke he had told. He looked at Harry and Robert and smirked sickly when he turned to snog one of the girls next to him.

"Disgusting" said a voice behind them.

"Good morning to you too, do we have nicknames already?" said Ron smirking.

"Wasn't talking about you, but on the other hand" said Hermione and rolled her eyes as she grabbed a toast from the plate.

Rob then looked left of him and saw the newspaper. He noticed something familiar and turned at the girl that had been reading it.

"Excuse me" said Robert. The girl turned around and blushed when she noticed who was talking to her. He might not have been Harry Potter, but the name Dumbledore was fairly known on the wizarding world.

"Yes?" she said smiling softly "You are Robert, right?"

Robert nodded shyly. He wasn't used to someone being so nice to him.

_Well this may not turn out so bad…_

"I was wondering if you would lend me your newspaper, if it's not a problem" said Robert

"Oh of course it's not, I wasn't reading it anyways"

"That is very nice of you, thank you." Said Robert and received another smile from the girl.

Rob then read the first page and suddenly started trembling, but he managed to stop before anyone could notice. He then read the notice again. It was small, but it had made the first page nonetheless. In a small picture stood Dumbledore in what he recognized the lobby of St. Mark's. His thoughts wandered to the child and women that had died that day and his mind got full of anger and desire for revenge. But his thoughts were interrupted when Harry exclaimed next to him.

"Look, Rob!" he said pointing at the big picture on top of the one he was reading. He gazed up and instantly recognized the golden lined walls of Gringotts and a group of goblins arguing amongst themselves.

**G****RINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

Investigations continue into the break in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.

Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault 713 was searched but had infact been emptied the same day.

"That is the vault where Dumbledore got the package" said Rob in a low voice.

* * *

"That's right!" said Harry "Isn't that what Hagrid was going to get?"

"What was I going to get?" said a voice from behind them, as the huge man gave them a sly smile.

"Hagrid!" yelled the three of them.

"Hey boys, ready for classes?"

"Ready as we'll ever be" said Ron

"We were just wondering if you knew what was in the vault that was broken into" said Rob whispering.

"Shhhh!" said Hagrid a bit too loudly, making some heads turn in their direction. Hagrid smiled nervously and whispered so just Harry and the others could hear.

'_Why is he so nervous?' _thought Harry

"Don' talk 'bout that in front of anyone yeh boys!" said Hagrid anxiously.

"But Hagrid…"

"Stop" he said forcefully and shook his head "Why don't yeh lot come on Friday afternoon to meh hut for some tea, ok? And don' go talkin' to anyone 'bout that k'?"

The boys nodded in disappointment and Hagrid left still nervous, looking around to check if someone had heard him.

"That was a bit odd, don't you think?" said Ron while grabbing one last piece of toast before getting up and leaving for their first class.

For their first class, they had charms. Professor Flitwick was a small wizard, even shorter than Neville. He had to pile a bunch of books just so it would appear he was sitting on his desk. He called roll and stopped on Robert first. Flitwick eyed him cautiously and gave a slight nod. Then at Potter´s name he grinned amusingly and jumped a little bit, almost falling from his desk.

"Very well" the Professor said

"Before any of you begin brandishing wands and trying…" he stressed the word a little too much "to perform any charms. Does anyone know the difference between a spell, charm, hex, curse and jinx?"

The three boys looked each other, blank. Only a hand was raised in the whole class. The bucked-teeth, bushy haired girl held his hand high excited to answer the question. Ron stared at her and raised an eyebrow. Robert seemed oblivious, reading his book and Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Yes, miss?..." Flitwick asked the girl.

"Granger, sir. Hermione Granger. First of all, every single form of magic is a spell; therefore the categories you mentioned can be defined as a category of spells. Spells are then categorized in a charm, when a new characteristic is added or changed to the object being targeted without altering it. A common spell is considered as such when the target suffers an alteration due to the spell. A Hex Is a spell linked to dark magic, so are Jinxes. Hexes, however, are slightly more dangerous because of the effect they have. Jinxes instead just inflict minor damage on the target without affecting it. Finally curses are the worst. They are dark magic intended to damage any being… if we…"

"That's okay miss Granger" Professor Flitwick said quickly. "Students, this is a perfect explanation of the differences between the five types of spells. For Homework I expect a foot-long essay of the differences between these five types in you own words."

"Show off" muttered Ron "can you believe it Harry?"

"Yes, I know. She seems to read a lot" Harry answered, Rob raised his head, scowled and said _"hmph"_

Transfiguration turned to be just as hard, if not more, than Charms. McGonagall, in spite being Gryffindor House Head, didn't cut slack them any slack.

"Transfiguration Is easily the hardest subject you will find in Hogwarts, not to mention complex and dangerous. Any misbehavior will not be treated lightly and I expect you to do your best" said McGonagall menacingly.

In an instant, McGonagall waved her wand and her desk became a pig. Everyone looked dumbfounded, and anxious to start. It instantly became obvious they wouldn't be changing desks into any sort of animal any time soon. Instead they were trying, with no success, of changing a match into a needle. Only Hermione had managed to change hers succesfully, earning some points for Gryffindor. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes behind her, continuing their efforts to change the match.

"Bloody match why won't you change!!" exclaimed Ron. Harry looked amused. His own had already got a pointy metal end but the head was still red. Hi turned to see Rob, but he was immersed in reading in a white book, so he turned back to his match. He quickly stared back again at Rob, but the white book was gone; instead the Book of Spells was in his desk. He frowned, but shook his head, clearing his mind and tried two more times before McGonagall ended the class.

"As homework, you will practice this spell and next class it will be examined. Of course, Ms. Granger has already got an excellent note, she won't be needing any examination for this one." She said smiling softly at Hermione, then turned abruptly to the rest of the class. "Dismissed"

"Boring class, huh?" said Rob, walking to the great hall for lunch, while he played absent mindedly with a metal toothpick.

'_Where did he get that? Wait… no…"_ Harry frowned in understanding '_But he wasn't even paying attention'_

"It was actually pretty neat when she changed the desk into the pig, though" said Harry, relaxing his facial muscles.

"I heard she can transform into a cat" said Ron

"Well, actually that is cool" said Robert, placing the toothpick on his backpack.

"Well, we have herbology and astronomy in the afternoon" said Ron

"Let's go grab something to eat… I'm starving" he added

After having a quick uneventful lunch, they left for Herbology. They didn't pay much attention, only Hermione and Neville seemed to be listening to Professor Sprout. Robert again was immersed in his own thoughts, occasionally reading his book. Ron was messing with some plants and Harry was in between laughing and seriousness. Seamus, on the other side of the table was fast asleep and obviously the weather inside the greenhouse was getting to them.

Later that night, they went to the astronomy tower. Professor Sinistra's class involved much theory and observation. They got out their telescopes and gazed at the main constellations, the moon and the closest planets. Again, Hermione was the only person raising her hand to answer to every question the teacher asked.

"I tell you, she's getting on my nerves" whispered Ron

"Don't let her… she's just showing off" said Harry "We can study too, you will see we will be better"

They finally got back to the Gryffindor tower. It had been a tiring day and the three of them just let themselves fall on their beds. The next few days went calmly; every first year looked excited at the new classes. Hermione seemed the most excited, every class she would raise her hand non-stop and Harry and Ron would make fun of her. Robert occasionally laughed but was too immersed in his own world. Also, Harry had caught Ron stealing a few, serious glances at her.

'_Well… I can't blame him… she's pretty when she is not trying to look better than everyone else…" _Thought harry amusedly while glancing to Ron, who immediately returned to his essay.

The most boring class ever had been, as predicted by Robert, History of Magic. The professor was Mr. Binns, a ghost that had died on his chair and had got up to keep teaching without even noticing. Defense against the Dark Arts had turned out to be boring as hell. Professor Quirrel looked pale and flinched almost every minute. He stammered in every word and smelled like Garlic. Fred said jokingly that he had stuffed his turban with garlic just "in case".

The worst of all had been Potions in which Professor Snape, a greasy haired big nosed man, had as all teachers stopped while calling roll at Rob's and Harry's names.

"Ah… our new… celebrities" he said sneeringly. His eyes were deep black and looked Harry in disgust. He then turned around. The room was filled with different liquids and bottles with strange ingredients inside. Snape then continued his speech, in a low, gloomy voice. Like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"_You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. . . . I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stop death— if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." _

He then turned abruptly at Harry and launched a question.

"Mr. Potter. What would I obtain if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

_A what with an infusion of what?_

In a split second, Hermione's hand was up, looking desperate to answer the question. But Snape paced, ignoring her completely.

"I don't know sir" said Harry and Snape lips curled

"Clearly fame isn't everything." He said. "Let's try again Mr. Potter. Where would you like if I asked for a bezoar"

Yet once again, Hermione's was raised and everyone was staring at Harry. Draco Malfoy could not stop grinning wickedly at him for not knowing.

"Don't know sir"

"You should at least open your book before coming Mr. Potter" he sneered once again.

"What is the difference" Snape exclaimed "of Monkshood and Wolfsbane"

"I really don't know professor, but you should try Hermione, she seems to know them all."

"Disappointing" he muttered, then turned at Rob and saw that he wasn't paying attention.

"Mr. Dumbledore" he said calmly, smirking all the way towards Robert's desk, where he was gazing through the vials on the shelves, oblivious of the fact he was being talked to

"If you would come back to the class and stop daydreaming…"

He then realized Snape was talking to him and snapped from his trance. He shook his head and stared back at the teacher.

"Mr. Dumbledore, care to answer any of the questions previously stated? Or are you too… important?

Robert stood still for a second, in which Hermione had gotten her hand up again longing for answer a question.

"Draught of The living Death, a goat's stomach, and I'm pretty much certain that those two are the same plant" said Robert calmly.

'_Oh someone has being studying…'_ thought Harry while smirking.

Snape looked like he had been hit by a brick, and said nothing. Everyone was now watching Rob as he played with the wand in his fingers. Even Hermione was surprised and upset she wasn't the one to answer.

"Very well" said Snape with a glint of annoyance in his voice "Why aren't you writing what Mr. Dumbledore just said!"

However, the lesson didn't go well for Gryffindors after that. Snape wrote some ingredients in the blackboard for a simple potion to cure boils. They were set in pairs, Harry sitting with Ron and Robert to his dismay got Hermione as partner.

They were all trying to follow the instructions on the cauldron, stirring one time clockwise, adding horn slugs, boiling for three minutes. Hermione's potion seemed almost perfect and Robert was adding his ingredients without even looking. By the end of the class, Snape had taken points from Harry and Robert, without any reason and had yelled at Neville and called him an idiot. The three blokes agreed that he was the worst professor in the school.

Later that afternoon they decided that it was time to pay Hagrid a visit. They quickly finished their homework and left the common room and raced to the entrance hall. The whisperings were still heard throughout the way, but they had become used to them. After getting to the entrance hall they took a right and wandered towards the edge of the forbidden forest where Hagrid was already waiting for them.

On his side, a great big black dog looked anxious as they approached the hut. Although _Fang_ looked rather… dangerous, Hagrid assured them he was extremely friendly and somewhat coward. Ron and Harry only rolled their eyes when Fangs bowed his head graciously when Robert stared directly to its eyes, while his own turned as black as the dog's for a second. However, Hagrid smiled widely at this and invited them inside the shack.

"Ah… another Weasley eh?" said Hagrid when the four of them sat down around the table "liked Charlie very much, 'e was good with beasts and everything…"

Ron rolled his eyes at the mention of yet another of his brothers but smiled when Hagrid offered a cup of tea.

"And how 'ave been yer classes, lads?"

Harry started telling about the last week and about how Snape had been eyeing him angrily throughout the last Potions class but Hagrid didn't take it seriously.

"I think he hates me" said Harry

"Nonsense… why would he?" responded Hagrid.

Harry didn't mention Snape anymore, and he wasn't about to reveal that his scar had been stinging since the welcome feast the first time that he caught Snape glaring at him. But when he asked about the vault in Gringotts he noticed that he utterly avoided his eyes and retorted angrily.

"That's not yer business… it is' being guarded by now and there is no safer place than Hogwarts"

"That's what father used to say about Gringotts" added Ron, rolling his eyes.

But Harry could only wonder, as they left to the castle for dinner, if Dumbledore had collected that package just in time, and where was it being kept.

* * *

The next Monday, classes seemed to go as naturally as they had on the first week. But none of them were prepared for what happened that day.

Charms had run relatively smooth, not without Hermione showing off her talents in charms. Ron seemed annoyed by this, but he didn't let it show. The three of them had been practicing on the weekend during their free time, and had already got ahead in most of the classes. Well most of them, except Herbology and Astronomy, which they found rather boring and useless.

So, the three of them found them distracted in other matters; Robert again was reading without even glancing towards Flitwick and Harry and Ron were playing their thirtieth game of tic-tac-toe.

Hermione, seen that they were oblivious to the entire class, in which everyone was practicing their spells, glared profoundly at them and returned to her work.

"_Locomotor book"_ she said angrily, flicking her wand towards her charms book.

"Excellent miss granger, five points for Gryffindor" said an excited Flitwick "Now, students, watch how a perfect mobility spells is performed. The trick is the correct movement of the wand. We will continue next class, and I expect a fifteen inch essay about levitating charms by then. Class dismissed."

"Why is she so…arrogant?" whispered Ron, looking around so that she wouldn't hear them.

"Beats me, mate" said Harry "Come on Rob, class is over"

The three of them left the classroom and started walking to Transfiguration hall. But they had only walked a few steps when Rob was hit when someone crossed their path.

"Watch it!" said Rob, and Malfoy stopped and turned back. Crabbe and Goyle were snapping their fingers.

"I don't stop when I see filth in my way" said Malfoy. He then continued his way without looking and left them alone in the hallway

"ARGH!" said Ron "I really hate that stupid little Slytherin"

"Ignore him" said a voice behind them. Hermione walked behind them from the hallway and caught up. Then a sudden emptiness surrounded them, giving chills through their spines. The wind whistled against the windows, making creepy noises as it passed. The four of them stopped nervous since it was the first time that something like that had happened. It was almost unnatural…

Out of nowhere, three figures appeared. They were cloaked and had their wands out. On reflex, the four of them reached out for their own. Only Robert had managed to take it out when spells started hitting the wall and floor around him.

"_Stupefy!"_

"_Impedimenta"_

"_Levicorpus"_

Flashes of several colors flew, and they barely dodged them. The three boys took cover behind pillars, but Hermione was struck by a red bolt and fainted on the other side of the Hallway.

"We have to help her!" said Harry as he covered his head from debris from the wall. He turned back and got shocked by the sight that met him. Robert's eyes had gone blank and his face irradiated an immense anger. Two more spells flew next to Harry and had to cover himself, making it impossible for him to stop Rob. They saw as he got up, moving quickly, dodging every spell, trying to reach for Hermione.

Seconds seemed like ages as Ron and Harry watched intently every move Rob took. Their attackers sent three more spells at the same time directly at Robert and he wasn't going to be able to avoid them this time.

"_Sectusempra"_

But a split second before the spell hit him, Robert spelled some words in a strange language they didn't recognize, and held his wand in front of him, in a vertical position. His other hand was extended too, and he held it sideways, behind his wand, like if he were trying to block the spell with his hand. The three spells hit an invisible wall, making a series of deep tones that reverberated throughout the halls. A huge disc-shaped shield appeared in front of Robert and instantly reflected the spells, as it faintly hummed.

'_That probably get the teachers attention_' Harry thought and saw as one of the spells reflected and almost hit one of the attackers.

Several voices were heard from the hallway behind them and when they looked again, the three attackers had left. Then they heard frantic steps coming and were relieved that McGonagall and Flitwick had heard the commotion.

He glanced at Robert, and saw that he was leaning to the down, breathing hard, and with one hand clutching one side of his head, the other resting on the floor. They both ran to him and helped Rob and Hermione get up and the teachers finally caught up.

"What is going on in here!" yelled a very angry Professor Flitwick. He was walking quickly to Ron, who was picking up Hermione.

"She's been stunned Professor!" exclaimed Ron. He noticed the girl under the effects of the spell and conjured a stretcher.

"_Mobilicorpus" _he muttered. Hermione then hovered and Flitwick turned to the three boys.

"Are you ok, Dumbledore?" asked McGonagall as she reached for the boy. Rob just nodded and turned to see Harry who was looking him a bit confused. He was exhausted and was about to faint.

"Who did this?" Flitwick asked, with an angrier tone in his voice.

"They got us by surprise. Three of them, all behind cloaks" said Ron still glancing at the corner where they had come out.

"Let's go to the infirmary, and get you boys checked up just in case" he said.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed when he saw Robert leaning sideways, almost fainting, but he caught him before he hit the floor and put his arm over his own shoulder.

"Bloody bastards!" said Ron

"Let's get them to the infirmary" McGonagall said "and watch your mouth Mr. Weasley"

"Of course, Professor, I won't dare let another foul word leave my lips in your presence" he said winking, and McGonagall rolled her eyes.

At the infirmary they were received by a worried Madame Pomfrey, a kind looking witch, but very strict when dealing with injuries and ailments.

"Who was it this time, Professor" she asked while attending the girl, now free from the spell. She gasped when the nurse mended her hand that had been broken when she fell down but thanked her afterwards.

"The same, Poppy. This has been too much, they were attacked by surprise, and they are only children!" exclaimed McGonagall

"Professor?" Harry asked

"Yes, Potter, are you ok?" she asked softly

"Yes, don't worry Professor, Robert pulled us out of the way before we were hit." he said "Professor, who were those… people?"

Robert was playing exploding snap next to the boys and lost when he turned abruptly. Ron got interested in the speech then too.

"They are students" she said, in a worried tone "We haven't been able to identify them"

"Why did they attack?" asked Ron

"I'm not certain Mr. Weasley. Since last year, they have managed several attacks on innocent students without any warning." She said

"And…" Madame Pomfrey added "It's the third time since term started… it's getting out of control"

"They usually strike and flee before anyone notices. They have increased in numbers, and even Dumbledore hasn't been able to control them. They hit too fast for anyone to stop them."

"Cowards" said Robert

"Now if you will explain what happened" asked Flitwick, as he crossed his arms.

Harry and Ron tried to talk at the same time, and got everything messed up. Robert was just sitting on one of the beds, deep in thought. Harry then gestured Ron so he would let him talk.

"We were heading to Transfiguration class after charms. Everything was fine until we were left behind and three figures appeared out of the corner and started sending spells at us."

"Hmph" said Flitwick in thought, with his hand in his chin. "You were lucky there, they could have outnumbered you and we would have found you all fainted or worse..."

"I will escort you to your common Room, and report this to Professor Dumbledore. Miss Granger will be all right it is just a matter of a Stunning Spell." Added professor McGonagall.

Madame Pomfrey helped Hermione get up and got her a vial of a white potion. Harry then gestured Ron and Robert to tell them something so Flitwick or McGonagall wouldn't hear.

"We must do something about this" he whispered "there have been three attacks in a less than two weeks!"

"We need to learn how to defend ourselves" said Ron calmly. He was going to say something else, but they were interrupted by Flitwick and they left for the common room with McGonagall and a grudging Hermione, complaining about how she didn't remember anything. They finally got to the Fat lady's portrait and McGonagall excused herself. She was still unsure of how they had managed to stop their attackers and eyed them suspiciously.

They told the fat lady the password and when they were inside, Hermione looked back at them, barely awake.

"What happened?" she asked

"We were attacked" said Robert "A stunning spell hit you"

"But we gallantly fought back and rescued you from the evil wrongdoers" said Harry bowing with one of his arms bent behind and the other extended. Robert chuckled at him and Ron grinned.

"I don't buy it" said Hermione "Flitwick must have scared them away"

"Believe whatever you want, _Princess" _said Ron in a mocking way.

"Do not call me that" said Hermione bluntly.

"You would think that when someone saves your life you thank them instead of question them."

"You're just so..." Hermione growled and stormed out of the common room into the dormitories.

"What's the matter with her?" said Ron frowning.

"She must have been ashamed…" said Robert with his usual mysterious and calm look.

"Of what?" said Ron.

"That we saved her life, you know, her being the smartest in every single class"

"Oh that might explain it" said Harry.

"What did you expect?" said Rob smirking "I'm the sharp-mind of the team"

They both hit him in the shoulder and ran off to their dormitory. When they arrived there, Harry turned at both of them. He had a serious look on his face. He cleaned his glasses with his cloak and crossed his arms. Ron raised an eyebrow and Rob looked out the window, calm and deep in thought as always.

"Where did you learn those spells" asked Harry. Robert then turned his gaze away from Harry " I haven't heard it in any of our classes or any of our books for that matter"

"I don't know… something took over me" said Robert, holding his forehead with his right hand "I just can't explain it… I'm actually… scared"

Harry and Ron looked at him worriedly. They could see that he was indeed afraid and they felt worse when he told them he could not remember a thing of the attack, except when he saw Hermione being stunned.

"It's okay Rob" said Harry watching at the frustrated boy.

"It is?" both boys said. Robert then looked at him a little more relaxed and nodded.

"Thanks… well… what did I do? Did I hurt anyone?"

Harry was surprised that he was worried that he would have done damage while in his trance. He wondered if it had happened before and raised his eyebrows in confusion. Ron seemed to have understood too and eyed him worried.

"Has anything like that happened before, Rob?" said Harry finally voicing his thoughts.

"Well… once…" said Rob looking down "… or twice. But I really don't like to talk about it"

He looked hurt. Harry noticed that his eyes had watered and tears were threatening to fall down, but stopped them and cleaned his eyes, and his stare changed into one of deep anger.

"Just take your time, mate. We aren't going to judge you or anything." said Harry

"Yeah mate. We just want you to know we are here for you if you want to talk about anything" said Ron

"Thank you guys, I really appreciate it" Rob said. Maybe he still had people that would care about him.

Both Harry and Ron went next to him and put an arm in his shoulders.

"You just promise to teach us that spells, they sure freaked out the lame idiots that attacked us"

"I will, don't worry" said Rob "If I ever discover how I did them"

"Perfect!" said Harry

After classes ended later that day, they went back to their dormitory and stayed up until it was one o'clock planning possible pranks if they ever caught their attackers. They laughed at the jokes they had made to the teachers and discussed some more. Neville, Seamus and Dean Thomas had gotten there a while ago and had joined in the conversation. They talked about them and their hobbies, about Quidditch and girls. Finally, they all went to their beds and fell asleep.

Only Robert stood up for a while longer and saw as Halion soared through the night, hunting for food. Then he got up and closed the white book he had been reading and he too fell asleep almost immediately. The last thought on his mind was that everywhere he went someone always tried to attack him and the people around him, and that made him mad. He was just a little more calm now that he had some friends he may be able to rely on. He remembered then what the old man had said. But he wasn't really able to do any spell consciously. Every time it will be just a blur and out of nowhere he could perform this amazing magic without effort. But the effect wore out seconds after that and he could not remember anything.

* * *

On Saturday, Robert got up early. Well only if 10 o'clock could be called early. He gazed out the window and saw Halion. The amazing bird seemed to understand him effortlessly. Next to Halion was Hedwig. Her feathers looked bright against the morning sun. Both birds seemed to get along pretty well.

He had thought about telling Ron and Harry about the white book but decided against it. He then left for the common room and saw Hermione reading a notice pinned on a wall. It encouraged the students to walk in groups or at least in pairs for precaution. Hermione seemed worried and was holding a book tight to her chest.

There had been a couple more attacks during that week and all of them had been towards muggleborns. Ron had been caught in one of them and had rescued a Hufflepuff girl from being petrified.

Fighting with himself, Rob understood that she was a bit scared about what had happened the day before. He decided then to make up small talk.

"Good morning" said Rob startling her a little bit.

"Oh… hi" she said running a hand through her hair, just above her ear. "I was just reading this. Er… I… I wanted to…"

"Don't mention it" said Robert, in understanding.

"You seem a little more… down to earth than the other two" said Hermione

"That's one way of putting it" said Robert "I also like to think that I'm the good-looking one"

Hermione smirked and rolled her eyes

"No you aren't" said Hermione, blushing a little. Robert caught up and raised an eyebrow.

_OH really? … _

"Anyways, want to get some breakfast? Maybe I can escort you to the library. Is that were you headed? It does says here that we should go in groups so we don't get attacked by angry Slytherins on PMS"

Hermione laughed lightly and smiled.

"Come on let's go"

A couple hours later they came back with a bunch of books for Hermione. Maybe a little too many.

"Glad I could help…" said Rob letting down a pile of books.

"You're tolerable sometimes Dumbledore" she said, jokingly.

"Just don't tell Harry and Ron" he said and winked.

Then Hermione started reading a book and Robert gazed out of the window. He then whistled loudly, almost making Hermione fall back on her armchair.

"What was that for!" said Hermione "You're going to wake everyone!"

She then saw Halion fly to his arm and grimaced when she saw the falcon's claws on Robert. He fed him with a few sweets and stared directly at him. Hermione witnessed the exchange and fell silent. The falcon made quiet sounds as it was fed and Robert then opened the windows once again and Halion flew out.

"That's an amazing bird" said Hermione

"You have no idea" Robert answered.

"I noticed you have some kind of connection" said Hermione "I have read that some magic creatures can read their masters emotions and even thoughts"

"We understand each other" said Robert plainly.

Then they head a yawn from above and Hermione returned quickly to her reading and Robert gazed again through the window, with a book in his hand. Ron and Harry came down out of the dormitory and soon some more students went out and in.

"Hey, Rob" said Harry

"Y-yeah, Good Morning" said Ron yawning.

"Good afternoon, you mean" said Robert.

Fred and George came down along with his friend Lee. They got to Ron and Fred put and arm on his shoulder.

"Way to go little brother" he said, and then it was George then who put his arm in Ron's other shoulder

"Ron, we couldn't be more proud. Not even the second week and you have already been twice to the infirmary."

"Really? twice?" some girls asked, looking at Ron. He blushed brightly and grinned

"Just don't tell mum" he said whispering.

"How dare you insinuate that!" said Fred and tried to look hurt, holding his hand in his chest.

"You just broke a record. Not even these two have done that" said Lee

"Yeah well, someone has to look for our fellow classmates' right?"

"Right Ron!" said Rob laughing "Slytherins watch out for Ronald Weasley!"

They all had figured out that the Slytherins were probably behind all the attacks since everyone from their house seemed to disappear when the attacks happened and mysteriously none of them had been injured.

"HA… Ha… ha…" said Ron "I just didn't have the chance at them you know, those cowards"

"By the way Fred… George" said Harry

"Ah of course, _Blazing _Potter!_"_ said Fred joking. The group of second years looked up again and it was the turn for Harry to blush.

"I was wondering if you had some ideas…well… to get back at the Slytherins_"_ he said looking a little nervous.

"But why did it took you so long my boy!" said George. Both twin's eyes sparkled so much that it almost frightened him. They looked plain evil.

"We will show something _special_" said Fred, crossing his fingers maliciously.

"Awesome" said Ron said grinning.

"Ah, Mr. Dumbledore too!" said Fred when he noticed Robert approaching, grinning too "Just delightful! Welcome to the dark side, my dear Robert"

"Well it's settled then" said George "Let's say… next Friday?"

"Perfect" the three of them said.

They then sat down on the armchairs, and Ron grabbed a toast from a plate Rob had brought up, knowing they would be waking up late, as always.

"Robert, My man, I don't know what I would do without you. It has only been a week and you already bring breakfast up for us. Thank you mummy Dumbledore"

"Oh yea, Halion seemed to like them too"

He then spat what he had on his mouth and cursed at him for not warning him before. Everyone laughed at him and he looked at them astounded.

_Ha! He bought it…_

"You could've warned me!" yelled Ron. But harry and the twins were already bent down from laughing and Rob was smirking.

"Oh no… you didn't" he said glaring at Robert.

"What did you expect, Ronniekins?" said Robert. Even Hermione laughed silently as Ron threw a toast at Robert.

Harry laughed as he grabbed another piece toast. He had never felt so at ease. It seemed years since the last time he had spent a night at the Dursleys. The only thing he knew is that he didn't want it to end. Later that day they went outside to visit Hagrid. They stayed there for a couple of hours and returned. Luckily for them, there were no more attacks that day.

They were reminded of Homework then when they saw the piles of books that Hermione had brought up, and started the foot-long essay about charms and the research that they had to do for Potions. Since Hermione had already left for the dormitory, they were able to use the books she had brought up.

They continued practicing Transfiguration spells and Charms. They were already ahead of schedule and Robert was surprised how much they had all advanced. Defense was their main objective now, since Quirrell's classes were still a big joke.

Harry seemed to possess a natural talent at both Transfiguration and Defense with Ron following closely too, after having been pressured by Rob and Harry. Of course Robert was at the same level, but he was better at Charms than the other two. Also, he had managed to do some of the spells from the book – secretly of course - and was thriving for more.

They finally crashed into their beds, tired of a long day of practice and homework. Harry stared blankly at the ceiling. He couldn't remember a time where he had so much fun in all his life; even with all the homework he was given. Maybe he would actually fit in this place. Only the attitude of Rob worried him. They would have to earn his trust for him to open up. Hopefully they would be able to help him.

A-N: Tell me what you think about it so far, good, bad? Please leave reviews

Thanks to Flyaway Dove for betaing this chapter!


	6. The Valari

**Chapter 6: The Valari **

Robert woke up suddenly, breathing hard after having had another nightmare about St. Marks. Far from scaring him, the memory made him angry. He was also angry at all the remarks that Hermione did when he failed at something, every single spell, every lost point, even when he did it on purpose to avoid attention, just as Harry and Ron did. But even after he had been nice to her, she only got even more obnoxious.

"_You should live up to your name"_ he remembered her telling him.

He was angry he had no family. Dumbledore was never there when he needed him and he just felt lonely. He didn't blame him, though, but he couldn't help but to wonder what would having a family be. Sure he had the company of Harry and Ron, but he felt completely from another world. He got up cautiously to avoid waking up any of his roommates, and silently went to the window, with the book in his hands. He immersed again in his reading, looking for an answer, a faint hope for him to stop the darkness inside.

He had started to let his hair grow up. Usually he would get it cut after a couple months or so. But he felt he needed a change. Just too add to the list of things that bothered him, his scar had started aching at strange moments, mainly at Quirrel's class. He had began wondering what could cause it, but refrained to go to Dumbledore. He didn't want to cause any more trouble and was sure that the pain would pass.

* * *

Unknown to Robert and Ron, Harry had too noticed the stinging of his own scar a lot lately. He couldn't understand, but figured that curse scars could probably cause that sometimes. He gave no more thought and he pushed the thought aside.

He couldn't help to feel sad sometimes, especially at breakfast when everyone would get letters and gifts from their parents at some point. Both Rob and him would get a lot of unwanted attention for their reputation, something that they both had grown to loathe. Personally, he would prefer the attention coming from his achievements, rather than for some bloody curse that he deflected when he couldn't even talk.

He identified a lot with Rob, being that both of them didn't have a proper family. He did remember him being from an orphanage, but had never brought up the topic, figuring out that Rob would have to do that himself when he felt ready.

Ron, for that matter, felt jealous at the attention that Rob and Harry received, but when they told him how much they hated it, it was obvious that he felt relieved and started being a great friend to them. They too had noticed that he also felt overshadowed by his brothers. With him being the sixth one, he never had something to gloat about with his parents, and it frustrated him a lot.

Neville was too another similar story. He too had lost his parents, but abstained from telling any detail. They felt sad for the poor boy that could barely get through most of classes, so they would offer advice and help with his assignments from time to time.

As they walked down the stairs that Monday, the three boys noticed there was another piece of parchment pinned at the wall in the common room. The whole first year groaned when they discovered that they would be sharing the Quidditch lessons with the Slytherins first years. That only meant that they would face Malfoy again.

"Well, Flying shouldn't be that hard, should it?" asked Rob

Being that Rob and Harry had never even heard about Quidditch or flying in brooms, they were launching question after question to Ron, who didn't mind telling them everything he knew about the game.

"Well Fred and George play beaters on the team and they say it can get a bit harsh." said Ron "But flying is pretty easy, though"

Everything went as usual the next few days. They would go to classes, try not to get in too much trouble and head to the common room. After all, it was only their third week at Hogwarts. By Thursday they were eager to get to the brooms and hurried to the Quidditch field after having lunch.

Formed in a line in the Quidditch Field, the Slytherins were waiting for them to arrive. Madame Hooch, the Quidditch teacher was an athletic looking woman that didn't like to wait for people. Everyone noticed her stare and quickly formed in the line across the Slytherins.

Malfoy smirked, but before he could say anything, Madame Hooch blew the whistle.

"Very well boys and girls. This is the first lesson of flying in brooms. Each of you has received one of the school models and I expect you to treat them as your own. On my mark everyone will put your hand just above the broom and will say 'up'. Got it? Then go!"

"Up!" said Harry. He was astounded because the broom flew to his hand almost immediately. Malfoy saw this but grinned when he got it in his second try. Very few other people managed to get the broom up. Ron finally got it in his third try but Hermione couldn't even get it up until her tenth.

Harry saw as Tanja Varenkov surveyed the whole Gryffindor group attempting to call their brooms. Some of them felt her stare and immediately turned away. Her electric blue eyes pierced at them, and when she noticed Harry looking at her she smirked. She then put her hand in front and lazily muttered under her breath and the broom flew quickly to her hand.

Harry and Robert noticed the pale looking girl scowling at Malfoy when he attempted to talk to her. They both frowned when Malfoy looked appalled at her rejection, but they returned their attention to the flying lesson.

It seemed that the brooms could feel the emotions of the rider and reacted to as it a horse would do to an inexperienced rider. Madame Hooch saw then that Robert stared intently at the broom without doing anything. She walked next to him and encouraged him to try on.

Robert turned to see Harry and Ron, then to Malfoy. He smirked all the way and extended his hand as he had been told. Hooch was waiting for him to say the words.

But in a split second, and without even opening his mouth, the broom had flown to Robert's hand.

"No way" whispered Harry.

"It figures he would do something like that" said Ron "you show off"

Robert just stuck his tongue out.

"Attention students!" said Hooch " The next thing to do is to sit behind the middle part of the broom and lean forward carefully, hover a few inches and get back."

But Neville couldn't control his broom, and flew too high, eventually to fall down. Madame Hooch ran to get to him, and grabbed his hand. Neville was sobbing as he saw the twisted angle that his wrist was on.

"I will take Mr. Longbottom to the infirmary" said Hooch in a high, bossy voice. "If I see a single broom on the air the rider will be expelled before he can even spell 'Quidditch'. Are we clear?"

Everyone nodded and Madame Hooch helped Neville get up. Malfoy then saw something shiny in the ground that caught his attention.

"Look! Dumb Longbottom left his remember-ball in here." He said tossing it around.

"Give it back, Malfoy" said Harry, extending his hand demanding.

"Come get it!" said Malfoy and go up his broom and flew a dozen feet above. Harry saw as the blonde boy tossed the ball around and smirked. His blood started to boil and before he could be stopped, he kicked the ground and rose into the sky.

As he flew up, the air rushed through his hair, and found he could do this without any problem. He then spun mid air so he would face Malfoy who was astonished he could fly like that.

It was a sensation like no other, the wind flying through his hair and the velocity gave him a rush of adrenaline. It was simply incredible, but he had to put the thought aside and took his attention back to Malfoy

"Don't make me throw you off your broom! Give it, here!" he said.

Harry then leaned in his broom and shot against Malfoy, speeding like a bullet. Malfoy evaded him by a mere inch and tossed the Remember-ball a little before looking at Harry who had turned again to face him.

"You want it? Go catch it!" he said and grabbed the ball and threw it towards the castle. In a split second, Harry shot towards the ball and just a foot above the ground he caught it.

"Mr. POTTER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" yelled an angry voice from behind him. He was done for, he will be expelled on the third week in the school and there was no one who could save him.

McGonagall got to where he was and started muttering something like '_dangerous', 'break your neck' , 'what were you thinking?!' _. Ignoring everyone's plead that it have been provoked by Malfoy, she grabbed Harry and he followed her with their heads low.

What they weren't expecting was that McGonagall didn't give any punishment nor took points from Gryffindor. Instead she had made him Seeker for the Quidditch team. He was beyond happiness. He was ecstatic. He couldn't hold it back when he told Rob and Ron back at their common room. McGonagall had taken him to see Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor team captain and he had been really impressed with Harry.

Then, to Malfoy's dismay, the next day, Harry had received a gift from the owl mail. Everyone's face lit up as Harry unwrapped his new _Nimbus 2000._

"Merlin's beard Harry!" said Ron.

"You must be the youngest player in…"

"A hundred Years, Ron. Wood couldn't stop repeating it!" said Harry excited.

Robert placed his arm on his shoulder as he was admiring the broom. When he saw harry, he got a bit jealous. But he was happy for him; maybe he would even try for the team the next year, because it was already complete.

They were admiring the broom when some second year Ravenclaw girls approached them. They were giggling and seemed they wanted to ask something. One of them took a step.

"Is it true you made the Quidditch team?" she said shyly.

"Yes, I did" said Harry grinning proudly "Would you want to check up my broom?"

The girl beamed at him and the other two girls got closer. Rob smiled and winked at Harry. Ron seemed very distracted too, and Hermione as always, rolled her eyes and grunted in discomfort.

"Wow" another girl said "It is a nice broom, our team has just Comet 260 or something like that"

"I bet you haven't flown in one of these?" asked Rob.

"No I haven't" said the girl "It seems dangerous…"

"It isn't er… - Sorry I didn't catch your name gorgeous" he said to the girl and she and her friends rolled their eyes at her when she blushed a little.

"It's Alexandra"

"Well Alexandra" said Harry and winked "I can give you a_ ride_ anytime you just have to ask". Rob laughed at the double sense, and apparently the girl had caught on and blushed some more.

"Well, ill guess I will see you in the next game" she said and winked back. With that the girls left.

Apparently, they were not the only ones that had noticed him making into the Gryffindor team. He was visited by a few other girls during the breakfast and he felt excited about being able to play. He couldn't believe it yet as two Hufflepuff girls smiled as they left the great hall after asking him what was like to be on the Quidditch team on first year. However, being in the team also earned the angry stares of some jealous boys.

"Ladies man, way to go Potter!" said Fred who grabbed him from the neck and messed his hair with the other hand.

"_Sweet ride"_ said George "It will give the Slytherins something to think"

"Now, to more pressing matters" said Fred.

"Great!" said Ron grinning wickedly "It seems you already have your… subjects"

"We have followed them closely. It's that couple of Slytherins nears the door. Grab quill and ink boys, it's time for class." said Fred.

The five of them stood up but Hermione grabbed Harry's sleeve before they could walk.

"Don't go doing anything stupid! You will lose all the points I have earned!"

"Calm down Hermione, we will just observe" he said pointing at the twins who were already on their way to the doors. Hermione, however, did not calm down as Harry got up and walked to the boys.

When he caught up with the other boys, Fred and George were leaned against the staircase, appearing just to be chatting. The couple they were observing was still by the great hall doors, oblivious to the fact that the five Gryffindors were closely watching them from behind

"Well boys" whispered Fred "The first step is to select your victims. It is a delicate process of elimination of possibilities. It goes according the objective you have set"

Ron was shocked that his brothers could be so serious and deep in any matter. Harry listened intently, making mind notes of everything they said and Rob stood arms crossed silently.

"You give me the creeps Dumbledore" said George turning away "That is Markus Valari. I am going to stress this very much. During our last year we were near some of the attacks like you have, and we have gotten certain… information that he is one of the leaders."

"Now, the Valari" trailed Fred "It is not a family you will usually like to cross"

"What?" said Ron "Why, why is so special about them? I heard he has two siblings on the school"

"That will be, brother" said Fred "because his family controls a very good amount of businesses… and not of the… _legal_ kind. You catch my drift?"

"You mean it's like…" said Harry frowning

"The mob, mafia or whatever you make of it. But their family is dangerous" said George "They are immersed in some really ugly business, but it is very well hidden. We really don't have any proof of that but we a fairly certain that they are behind the attacks."

"You see, we have chosen him to send them a message. They will not roam free through here expecting us not to defend from them" said Fred scowling "Now, we haven't told this to anyone… but we need help… and we have seen you three"

"Our work…" added George "May appear rather childish before the eyes of… _ignoring_ minds"

Rob was getting way more into the twins speech. Somehow it seemed logic. He had seen this too much in the muggle world. How gangs would do and undo as they pleased in the cities without any remorse. It seemed obvious that the child of the mob leaders would act the same way as their parents. But even so, the mafia seemed to pale to what he was imagining.

"I see we've got you attention Rob" said Fred. "Now our first task will be taking place at eight o'clock. We have followed them and we are absolutely sure that his last class ends around that time. Defense Against Dark Arts that is. Thus, we will be expecting you around fifteen before eight, Agreed?"

"Agreed" said the three of them.

"Well if you would excuse us…" said George staring at the third year Gryffindor girls that had just gone out the great hall. "We have some… business to attend to"

The three of them laughed as the twins hit on the girls, who didn't seem to mind the company.

They headed down for a long, exhausting potion class. Snape seemed to loathe them, especially Harry who had just managed to lose another five points for not stirring his potion adequately.

"At this rate we will end up with zero points Harry!" Hermione whispered

"Shush" he said, and ignored her but Robert had caught on. Maybe he would think or something to earn some points back. But for now, his mind was on the 'mission' from the twins.

"Back to your work, Dumbledore!" sneered Snape.

As they left the dungeon, they couldn't be more grateful for a class to end. They passed the hallway of the dungeon carefully. Hermione was especially wary and had her wand out. But it was deserted. They went up the common room and crashed down the armchairs.

They counted the minutes, and stayed talking amongst themselves, playing chess. It surprised Harry and Rob that it was almost impossible to beat Ron at the game. When he played he would have this concentration look and leaned against his fist over his mouth. Rob actually caught Hermione staring at him intently, but Ron seemed oblivious.

At twenty before eight, Harry lost against a magnificent play from Ron and gave up. The common room was half deserted and the twins had already left an hour before. They got up trying to make the less possible noise as they passed through the portrait. Just when they were about to make way for the classroom they heard someone behind them.

"I won't let you do this" said Hermione behind them.

"Oh no!" said Ron rolling his eyes "she won't let us, let's go back"

"Seriously! You will get in real trouble with the teachers, and who knows what else is out there!" she exclaimed "You are just so full of yourselves aren't you?"

"We won't stop" said Rob bluntly

"Fine, do whatever you want" she said and turned back. But the Fat lady was gone

"Oh my god!" said Hermione "Where is she!"

Harry put his hand on her shoulder but he took it off instantly when she turned at glared at him.

"Listen, you can't do anything now. You have two choices, either come with us or stay here for a teacher to found you, if not someone else…"

Hermione debated within herself, and the three boys started going down the stairs.

"All right I'm coming with you, but as soon as a teacher found you I will say that you kidnapped me!" she said in a low, extremely fast voice.

"Have it your way, sweetie" said Ron scowling at her and she returned the gesture.

"Let's get going I don't want Filch to find us" said Harry

They made way for the classroom where Fred and George were already pinned around the farthest corner.

"What she doing here" said George? He was holding a bucket half full mud with a horrible stench.

"We had to take her with us" said Harry

"I can't believe I'm going to be a part of this" said Hermione. The five guys rolled their eyes. Fred shook his head

"You might as well enjoy it" he said smirking "This may be the guys that attacked you"

"Oh in that case…" she said and her face contorted into an evil grin.

"Now, you may have still hope, Ron" whispered George "I think I'm going to like this girl"

"What?" he blurted out, but everyone shushed him

"You must be kidding George" he said whispering furiously.

They could hear voices coming out of the room and they saw as the Slytherins came out and walked to the opposite corridor. Then, the pair that they had seen earlier came out. They appeared to be sixth years.

"I tell you Mulciber it is not possible" said the taller one with blonde hair. The other one had long brown hair put up in a tail. They both looked to be in an agitated discussion.

"But you said your Father could do something about him" he said. The finally saw his face. His factions were very pronounced but he had a pair of deep black eyes that showed anger.

"It is not possible, I tell you!" the blonde one exclaimed as they separated from the rest and walked towards them. "He is one of the prisoners with top-security; they won't let him go…"

But just when he was about to finish, Fred flicked his wand rapidly. Te two of them slipped and fell sliding through the hallway. Fred and George then pointed two buckets that were hovering at the end of the corridor with their wands and signaled the others to walk back to the next corner to avoid get seen.

The two boys slid all the way to the wall and crashed. The twins then waved their wands wand and the buckets of mud fell right on their heads.

"What in bloody hell!!" they heard one of them yell as they both gagged from the foul substance that fell on them. The four first years Gryffindors struggled to contain their laughs as the two victims of the twins attempted to clean themselves with their wands but the mud would not go away.

However, the look on George and Fred told them it was not over. Then Fred pointed the other corridor and they saw Snape coming directly at them. Hermione and the three boys freaked out but George stopped them from running away.

"Just look!" he said and Snape passed without even paying attention to them.

"What in…" said Ron "NO… no… is it… it can't be… Fred?"

Fred smirked with the most evil look that they had ever seen. They could almost see the two red horns coming out from both twin's head.

"I expect an answer from both of you, Mr Valari, Mr. Mulciber" he said calmly when he arrived where the Slytherins had stumbled.

"Someone pull a joke on us sir! We didn't make this mess, I swear I will get the bastards…"

"You will clean this immediately!!" yelled Snape. Harry had never seen Snape that furious at a Slytherin before.

"I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from any of my students"

Snape was fuming. He even began turning red from the anger to the point of boiling. Harry watched in awe that smoke was literally coming out of his ears. Valari and Mulciber were completely shocked, and took a step back.

"Sir, are you feeling ok?" said Mulciber worriedly.

But then Snape gagged. His face got all swollen up and he began to inflate himself. The two Slytherins gasped and were unable to move an inch. Snape eyes turned red and sparkles began to come out of his mouth.

"S-Sir… " said Valari with his eyes wide open in terror.

Then his whole body exploded.

BOOOM

Fireworks from every color began going everywhere, making loud noises and wrecking the whole corridor. The two Slytherins leapt from their spots and began running, being pursued by several dozens of multicolor beams and explosions.

The six Gryffindors were now bending of laughter at the faces that the two Slytherins made. Even Hermione couldn't contain herself and Ron watched her merrily as she laughed with them. Rob exchanged looks with Harry but they just continued laughing after Valari and Mulciber shrieked like little girls and ran out of the opposite way.

"Awesome!" said the twins' high fiving

"That was absolutely wicked" said Ron gaping.

"I can't deny I enjoyed myself" said Hermione and everyone gasped.

"What? Can't I have a little fun?"

"I see that you approve our '_Bang! Clone_'" said Fred, and Rob raised an eyebrow and Harry, Ron and Hermione laughed some more.

But something that the twins weren't expecting happened. A soft purr was heard through the hallway, making them freeze on their spot. Cautiously - and very slowly - they all turned expecting not to find what they were dreading. Yet, right in front of them Ms. Norris watched them curiously.

"Run for it!" yelled George sprinting to the next free corridor.

"Follow us! Don't stop, don't look behind" said Fred worried.

They dashed through several corridors and staircases and they could hear Filch already on their tails. Suddenly the first years stopped in their tracks. The twins were nowhere to been seen and they didn't know what place they were.

"Quick, through that door" said Harry, and Ron lunged for the door knob but it was locked.

"Come on!" he yelled as they heard steps approaching them frantically.

"Move!" said Hermione

Robert raised an eyebrow as she took out her wand.

"_Alohomora"_

The door clicked open and they went inside, and Ron peered through the keyhole. He finally got up when he saw Filch pass by the door without stopping.

"Ha! We made it!" Ron said.

He had spoken just too soon.

Rob, Hermione and Harry had their backs turned from the door with their eyes wide open from shock. Hermione breathed loudly as a soft growl came out of the other side of the room. Ron caught up and slowly raised his eyes. A gigantic three headed dog slept soundly before them, his paws crossed in front of him.

"Guys, move back" whispered Harry

With low steady steps they walked back to the door. A metallic object then clinked and Ron saw that he had step on the dog's chain collar. The beast slowly opened up its red eyes and saw them. It began to growl at them, watching them closely.

"RUN!" said Robert and the four of them got out the door, not caring if Filch was expecting them. They could hear from behind the dog barking and attacking the door.

In a matter of seconds they were on the Gryffindor tower again, and they gasped for air, ignoring how and when they had gotten back the common room.

"How dare they keep something like that on the castle!" said Ron

"The damn thing looked like he needed some space though" said Rob trying to cheer up.

"Now we know why the third floor corridor is prohibited" chuckled Harry.

Hermione, who had just recovered her breath, went back to her usual temper.

"You didn't see the floor did you?!" she shrieked

"I was rather busy watching for the _three _heads!" blurted out Ron

"There was a trapdoor" said Hermione scowling "it is obviously guarding something"

They turned to see each other. The dog was guarding the package that Dumbledore had picked up from Gringotts. After all, Hogwarts was the safest place, wasn't it? Hagrid had said those very words a week before.

"I hope you enjoyed almost getting killed _and_ expelled" said Hermione fuming "Now, if you will excuse me, please try not to lose any more points for the house cup. I'm going to bed, good night."

With that, Hermione walked to the dormitories leaving the three of them with their mounds gaping.

"She really needs a shrink" said Ron "or at least re-evaluate her priorities"

But Harry couldn't help but to frown and wonder if the dog was indeed keeping the package. He sighed before crashing into his bed; they would have to pay Hagrid another visit.

The next days, Hermione wouldn't talk at to them, still angry for almost getting caught by Filch. Rob told Harry and Ron about the package and they started formulating theories. They got to two conclusions; it was either very valuable or extremely dangerous.

'_Or both…_'

* * *

A few days before Halloween Robert, Harry and Ron decided that it was time to venture again to the edge of the forbidden forest to visit Hagrid.

When they knocked at the door, Hagrid merrily invited them to his humble house and got some mugs to serve them tea.

"What brings yeh let 'ere, boys?" asked the gamekeeper happily.

'_Oh boy… here it goes'_

"Nothing really" said Harry innocently "We just wanted to pay our friend a visit"

Hagrid put down the three mugs on the table in front of the three boys. They noticed he was frowning and Robert immediately took a sip from his tea. Ron looked around nervously and Harry sighed in exasperation.

"Well? Explain" said Hagrid

"Er… we were wondering if you knew of… you know…" Harry began stammering and took a quick sip of his tea.

"The third floor" helped him Robert.

Hagrid stood silent eyeing the three boys carefully, trying to decipher where the conversation was headed. He did not like one bit of what he was hearing. He crossed his arms in front of him and gestured them to continue.

"Yes…" said Ron "we… kind of…"

"Stumbled into… something" finished Harry.

Hagrid's eyes opened widely but frowned almost instantly.

"So yeh've met _Fluffy?"_ said Hagrid slightly angered "What where yeh doing on that corridor?"

"Fluffy?" the three of them repeated.

"Don't change the topic, lads"

"Er… we… kind of… got lost?" said Harry nervously.

Hagrid looked a bit pissed off, but let out a sigh and leaned to the middle to the table.

"The dog is mine, I lent it to Dumbledore"

The three boys were shocked.

"You mean that… he's keeping whatever Dumbledore got from Gringotts"

Hagrid was taken by surprise with this and his own mug fell to the floor loudly.

"I told yeh lot to forget 'bout that!" yelled Hagrid angrily. "It is safe and yeh shouldn't have to worry about it anymore. _Fluffy _isn't the only thing protecting it!"

"So there are other things protecting it" said Harry smirking lightly.

Hagrid looked dumbfounded and slapped himself for blurting out something else about the package. He angrily took their mugs and hurried them to return to the castle.

"What do you think is protecting the package" asked Ron while they went up the entrance staircase.

"Maybe we should catch Hagrid by surprise again and he'll tell us" said Harry joking.

"Makes me wonder to whom he wouldn't tell" said Rob serious "he has revealed very serious details already to us. What if someone who shouldn't know gets hold of that sort of information?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other and then at Rob and shook their head. He was right, if Hagrid continued blurting out here and there about the package, the people that got into Gringotts could be drawn to Hogwarts any moment.

They made their way to the Great Hall for Dinner and quickly went up to the Gryffindor tower. Hermione had at some point joined them in their way back to the common room, much to Ron's annoyance who had become her target for her usual remarks.

By the time they got to the second floor, a loud racketing was heard and they quickly leapt to investigate. With their wands out, they took a hallway to their right and sprinted hastily. The unmistakable cry of a duel was heard and on the farthest corner a few flashes lit up the darkened corridor.

Two girls appeared around the corner breathing heavily and sobbing. They ran towards the four Gryffindors and they noticed the girls were scared to hell.

"What is it? What is happening?" demanded Ron when he stopped one of them. The other girl did not stop and disappeared on the staircase as she made her way to the lower floors.

"We were attacked" she managed to blurt out "my friend… they have Alex… they have her. Gina went to get a professor"

Their eyes widened up in understanding, and Ron struggled to keep the girl from falling down as she wailed hard. Another flash was seen from the corner and a boy came running.

"They are coming!" he said equally desperately "I couldn't help her, they have her"

But before he could get to where the others awaited, four persons hidden under hoods appeared behind him. With a quick flick of the wand, one of them sent the boy flying to the wall. His brown hair got tainted with blood and a nasty scar had formed on his arm.

Instantly, Rob reacted as a red flash was sent towards them and he quickly dodged it. Hermione and the others went behind a pillar for cover and Rob barely managed to join them. The Ravenclaw girl was now sobbing hugging Ron tightly as two more flashes of red and yellow passed next to them.

Without thinking it, Hermione got up and faced the four attackers who were already making way towards them. Another red flash was sent towards her but she managed to deflect it.

"_Protego!" _

Rob and Harry awakened from their trance and joined Hermione. An orange flash was sent towards Harry but it collapsed against his own shield. They both didn't notice Ron staring with wide open eyes at Hermione.

The corridor's light fluttered and the attackers stopped. A cold wind rushed from behind the three Gryffindors who were then joined by Ron, and a deep silence bestowed upon them all. The four cloaked attackers stood silently and bowed against their opponents.

Harry caught up and returned the gesture without taking his eyes from them, and was followed by his companions. The wind got stronger and he heard a quiet mumbling from his right.

Ron and Hermione noticed too and they turned to look Robert. His eyes had gone blank, just to turn a soft blue. His pupils and iris were gone and he had his wand pointed at the four in front of him.

The four dark figures realized the sudden change on the boy and quickly raised their wands. But Robert was too fast.

Without even pointing his wand, he mumbled something to himself and an immense shockwave was sent towards the attackers who were struck by a force so great that blasted everyone against the walls.

Harry slowly opened his eyes, and frowned when he did not recognize the place he was on. He leaned against the floor and quickly got up. He felt then a hand picking him up and he was face to face with Dumbledore.

"Are you ok, Harry?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I think so"

He finally was able to focus on the whole scene, and saw as Robert, Hermione and Ron were being helped by Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, as Snape questioned the scared Ravenclaw girl. Quickly glancing towards the corner of the hallway, he saw that the attackers were gone. Dumbledore seemed to notice this and looked seriously over his half moon spectacles.

"Do you recall anything my boy?" asked Dumbledore

"Well… we were about to duel with four people that had attacked the girl and his friends" he said pointing at the girl, while he held his head with his hand trying to block the strong headache. Dumbledore sighed at his comment.

"I see…" said Dumbledore looking from the girl to the end of the corridor where the attackers had been before "Were you able to identify any of your attackers?"

"Not really…" said Harry "They hid their faces under hoods Professor"

"Albus…" said McGonagall "The other students have just woken up; nobody seems to remember what happened"

"Minerva, Severus, Filius, please take the students to the infirmary. Ask poppy to tend to Ms. Andrews and Mr. Carmichael immediately. I will continue to investigate the scene"

Harry and the others followed the Professors as they magically lifted the two Ravenclaws that had been injured. The girl who had just some weeks ago asked about Harry's broom had gotten the worst. She had a deep cut on her leg and a pretty bad hit on her forehead.

When madam Pomfrey released them from the infirmary the four of them were escorted by Flitwick back to their common room. Hermione stopped by the entrance and waited for the boys to step in. They all noticed the concerned look on her face and Ron sighed.

"Are" she started but had to take a deep breath "Are you ok?"

They were slightly taken aback from her question but nodded quickly.

"Great" she said slightly nervous "er… thanks for… letting me go up with you… I might have been… alone… you know"

"It's okay Granger" said Ron softly "you were great too"

The girl then relaxed a bit and excused herself to her dormitory. Both Ron and Harry crashed in their beds, but Robert stood next to the window watching the moon as it rose behind the mountains on the far side of the forbidden forest. Harry noticed and went to his side.

Robert then extended his hand and Halion came swooping and landed on his arm. With him, Hedwig came down and Harry did the same. The two birds had become friendly to each other and had started hunting during the nights, occasionally bringing a dead mice or rabbit. The night was quiet as a single cloud passed in front of the sky.

Then the silence was broken when a loud cry filled the air. The three boys looked at each other and glanced out the window. The scream had come from the forbidden forest and dozens of birds had flown away from the core of the woods. The noise had been more like the one of a horse, a neigh of pain and agony.

Then a gloomy silence overwhelmed them. Robert stood there for a minute before turning away from the scene with Harry and Ron following him after closing the red and gold curtains.

"Rob" said Harry "Do you think the attacks on muggleborns will continue?"

"That depends" answered Ron for him. Rob walked to his bed and turned to him. Neville had just entered the dormitory with the other boys. They greeted them but quickly fell asleep. Only Neville kept awake reading his Herbology book, so they tried to continue their conversation in the lowest possible manner.

"Depends" continued Ron "because if my brothers were right… if the Valari are behind it… and they turn to be just like they described them…"

"They will strike back again…_hard_" said Robert.

Neville couldn't contain anymore and snapped his book shut. The three of them noticed and tried to change topic but it was too late.

"Was it you?!" he asked incuriously.

"Was it us what?" asked Harry nervously.

"I heard that some first years had been attacked" said Neville nervously "And I heard that the attacks got worse when that bloke, Valari, accused your brothers of messing with him"

With that, the boy fell asleep leaving Harry and Ron to their thoughts. Rob looked struggling within himself and launched anxious glances to his backpack.

"He's right" said Ron "What were we thinking! They are sixth and seventh years! We can't possibly take on them. We might have been lucky before but we may not be the next time!"

"We'll think of something Ron" said Harry.

Robert looked out the window again, staring into nothing, deep in thought. Harry and Ron knew he needed his space so they both went to their beds. Halion was again soaring in the sky and landed on the owl tower.

He remembered what had happened a few hours ago and frowned. He could remember him joining Hermione and Harry against their attackers but everything after had gone black. But what angered him the most was that this time not only had he done magic without knowing, but he had harmed his friends.

The beast inside him roared when the memory replayed on his mind. In that moment that he realized what was really making him angry. It was that '_being_' that hid in the back of his mind. It resembled the impotence of being unable to protect his friends and loved ones. He couldn't believe he had been so blind all this time. Right then, Robert Dumbledore decided that the beast would not take over him again. This time he would fight it.

'_But how?'_

The white book glittered against the moonlight and he realized he had his answer. Something told him that through knowledge and patience he would learn to control himself and possibly help him to stop his blackouts.

When he noticed that both Harry and Ron were sleeping, he reached for his backpack and took out the book. As he opened it he found himself in front of diagrams and pictures of figures performing spells. If he turned to the end of the book, it would be filled with new text and if he turned the first page back, he would return to the chapter before.

The book had information about everything; list of potions and the difficult processes to make them, nearly impossible charms, countless lists of spells from different cultures, even history. But what shocked him the most was that the book included more than just wizarding knowledge. After skipping a couple chapters he discovered that the book also contained knowledge of muggle sciences, but he failed to understand why _'The book of magic' _would contain that sort of information. A word called his attention after going back some chapters, something that reminded him what Harry had said about the attack.

'_Vilya'…_

He immersed into his reading oblivious that a pair of eyes were watching him. Just next to him, Harry frowned slightly and turned around.

_If only you could trust us, Rob. You might need us as much as we need you._

_A/N:_

_SO! what do you think guys? are you enjoying the fic? I tried to give Harry's first year a bit of a spinoff, cause i always found it a bit boring... i really hope you like em. Please leave reviews so i can get an idea of what you think about it. And thanks to the people who have already review it, i just hope you aren't dissapointed =) __ cya!_

_lsgp  
_


	7. Trolls

**Chapter 7: Trolls!**

'_Bull's-eye_'

The three boys ran for it when they heard the trap was sprung and the youngest Valari hung from the ceiling trying to untie himself. They didn't stop until they passed the corner of the corridor and silently waited. Finally, Filch got to the boy from the other side and they smirked when he struggled to get him down.

They started walking, making way towards the Transfiguration classroom, not without attempting to flirt with a group of Hufflepuff girls that run into them. Rob rolled his eyes at the two of his friends making a joke out of themselves.

All the desks were taken in the hall, except from their usual seats in the back. Harry sat in the middle and on his left was Ron and Rob took the right.

"Well, good morning Professor" said Ron "My god, I'd say you look a decade younger today?"

McGonagall raised her eyes towards the three boys that had just entered the room and sighed.

"Is it a new look, Professor?" said Harry

"You sure look nice today, Professor" added Rob

Just two seats in front of them, Hermione shook her head and muttered something. McGonagall stood up and paced in front of the desks, unfazed by the usual greetings of the three boys.

"Today, students" she said in her usual strict tone "We will examine your performance in the last spell we practiced. In front of you there is a tea cup. The objective is to turn this object into a clear, crystal glass. I shall pass to each desk and evaluate your spells."

Harry and Ron smiled from ear to ear since they had practiced the spell and gotten it in their third try but Robert chuckled to himself softly since he already mastered the spell a week before. Only Neville was really nervous, being that he wasn't able to turn the damn cup.

One by one, the students managed to turn, if only partially, the tea cup in to the desired glass. When it was turn for Harry, he winked at Ron and the tea cup was almost gone, replaced by half a crystal glass.

"Very well for your first try, Potter" said McGonagall surprised. She didn't praise students often and Harry look like he had won the Quidditch cup.

"You too, Mr. Weasley, excellent. Now it's your turn Mr. Dumbledore"

Rob raised his wand and pointed it at the tea cup. The entire classroom was watching him closely. He turned to see Harry and he gave him a slight reassuring nod, but Robert just winked. He muttered softly the spell, but the teacup burst into a thousand pieces.

McGonagall was startled at first but then sighed.

"I'm very disappointed" she said, her eyes expressing the same words she had let out. "This shouldn't come difficult for you Mr. Dumbledore, being that the Headmaster was the Transfiguration teacher before me. Well I will give you another try next class"

She turned to the front of the room angrily, but Robert couldn't care less since he already knew he was able to perform the spell. Harry and Ron gave him a half amused half reproachful look, but grinned anyways; they too knew that Rob was as good as them in transfiguration. Even with the many Quidditch practices that Wood threw at Harry, he usually was ahead of many of his classes such as Defense and Transfiguration, and Ron and Robert weren't far behind.

"That is all for today, students. For homework I want a foot-long essay about switching spells by next class"

Robert stood still for a minute in which Hermione passed next to him and stopped.

"You aren't worthy of Dumbledore's name." she said in her bossy tone "At least you should try to get some of your spells done"

Harry got up and tried to reach Hermione but was stopped by Ron grabbing him from his shoulders.

"That was out of line!" he exclaimed after the girl stormed out the classroom.

"Don't bother" said calmly Robert. But both Harry and Ron knew he was pissed off, and they didn't stop him when he picked up his backpack and ran out.

On their way out they caught up with him after having thoroughly glared at Hermione. He was at near the charms classroom, next to a window, staring in as usual into nothingness. They patted him on the shoulder and told him not to worry about the obnoxious girl.

"Don't worry about it guys" he reassured to them "she only gets on my nerves"

Harry was about to say something when suddenly five older blokes surrounded them and shoved them against the wall, rendering unable to take out their wands. They recognized one of them as Mulciber, they Slytherin the twins had pranked a few weeks ago. Behind them, Markus Valari stood next to a younger version of himself by the name of Viktor. His younger brother had a similar scowl on his rather pale face while his blonde hair was messed up and a nasty bump had formed in his forehead.

The three boys grunted against the older Slytherins who were smirking while they pushed their heads against the wall. They panted and struggled to free themselves from their grip. The older Valari finally stepped forward and quietly mumbled angrily to them.

"Let me clarify this to you good-for-nothing Gryffindor, muggle-loving scum" he said with an icily and rather menacing tone. "If you ever dare to even look at my brother or anyone near him, I will…"

Just at the moment he was about to finish his threat, a high pitched voice was heard and almost instantly the five blokes let go of Harry, Ron and Robert.

"What is going on in here" asked Flitwick looking suspiciously at the Slytherins.

"Oh nothing Professor" said Valari in a suck up tone, instead of his menacing voice "We were merely exchanging insights on your illustrative class with the younger students in attempt to improve inter-house relations."

They couldn't believe their ears, and the Slytherins all smiled rather sarcastically to Flitwick who was oblivious to the fact that they had been harassing them a second before.

"That is very appropriate of you boys, but I will now ask you to head to your respective classrooms" said Professor Flitwick.

With a last bow the Slytherins retreated not without eyeing angrily the three young Gryffindors, but they knew better than to start a fight in front of a teacher.

The three boys could only push away their impulse to hex Valari for another time, so they unwillingly entered the Charms class, after confirming how very serious the threat of Valari was. However they were dumbstruck at the grin that Robert had plastered on his face.

Harry and Ron had seen something different in Rob the last days. He was still the same mysterious bloke who liked to gaze into nothing immersed in his own world. But they could see he was happy; well, as happy as he could get. He was still a mystery for them, constantly changing his temper, but they accepted him nonetheless.

He had even helped in the latest pranks, with a minor few spells. He looked excited when they will let out a dung bomb in a few Slytherins every now and then.

They were getting good at it, only not as good as the twins. Whenever they join Fred and George, it would be for sure a major prank. Sometimes their objectives weren't Slytherins, but they would pull only some minor pranks on people from other houses.

Nevertheless, Robert had just started to get his the proper way, sometimes he learned them faster than Ron and Harry. But the three of them had an agreement of not gloating about their achievements. Only Hermione was better than them in classes, or so the professors thought. But Harry knew better.

He and Ron had witnessed the real Robert do some serious magic back when they were attacked on the dungeons. He was getting better at classes, even beating once Hermione in Potions. Much to Snape's dismay, Rob had been able to produce the Dreamless Sleep potion perfectly and had no choice but to give five points to Gryffindor when Neville wouldn't wake up, but gave Hermione the credit. Not that Rob cared of course.

Snape was seriously getting on Harry's nerve. He would throw angry stares at him, mocking him when he didn't know something and taking points out of him and his friends. Snape sure loathed him but he couldn't get a grip on the reason of his hatred. One thing he was sure, he hated Snape the same way.

The attacks were another issue that worried Harry very much. It appeared that Fred and George's plan had backfired, since the attacks had doubled. With all the time he spent at Quidditch Practice he would end worn out every day, and they weren't able to help the twins too much. And, as if it wasn't enough, Halloween was going to give them yet another thing to worry about.

* * *

Hermione woke up early that day, as always. She would go clean herself up and change into the Hogwarts uniform. She watched her image in the mirror and reflected on everything that had happened just two months before. Being a muggleborn, she had been ecstatic when she received her letter in the schools envelope. From that moment she decided she would be the best witch ever. Even before arriving at school she had dedicated herself completely to knowledge, reading every single piece of information regarding magic she could get hold of.

When classes had started it was instantly obvious to the teachers that she was plain brilliant, and she was proud for it. Not even the foul names that the Slytherins called her would make her feel down. She was a Gryffindor, nonetheless, and they were characterized for being brave and courageous, not like the slippery snakes of Slytherin.

She loved to visit the school library, where she would get lost searching through the thousands of books that were available. And even though she was a bookworm, she had accepted the fact that theory is one thing much different to the practice. So she had put much effort into it and the result was the praise of her teachers. Well, except for Snape, whom she hated just as much as every Gryffindor.

But in spite all these qualities she possessed, the last week she had begun to feel alone. She had many classmates, but they didn't consider her as a friend. The worst part was that she knew she was being rude to them. Well, he might have deserved it, those three, trying to look so _big_ by 'hitting' on third years.

_Like those girls would care for the boys_.

They were merely eleven for Merlin's sakes. But of course, she regretted what she said some days before; she had crossed a line with Robert.

Letting out a deep sigh she gathered all her willpower and made way to the charms classroom. As she walked, some of the girls gave her angry stares, but she disregarded them.

At the Hallway, she saw what she had been looking for. Or rather who she had been looking for. On the ledge of one of the tall windows was Robert Dumbledore sitting, staring into the sky, and his blue eyes unfocused. She was relieved that his two best friends, who will surely kill her on sight, were nowhere to be found.

Taking a deep breath, she walked slowly towards the lone boy. She was nervous because it was the first time she would speak to him after that day at transfiguration.

"Er… Rob?" she said anxiously. The boy then noticed her and gave a brief smirk but turned away. Well at least he wasn't as mad as she thought he would be.

"May I talk with you, Rob?" he asked sincerely. He watched her again but this time didn't turn away, as if encouraging to keep going.

"I-I-I just…" she said stuttering.

"What Hermione?" said Rob in a slightly angry tone and she closed her eyes trying to fight the tears that were threatening to fall.

"I am sorry" she said looking down to the ground at her shoes.

She noticed that the boy was staring at her, but she still felt ashamed of the things that were said two days before.

"I didn't mean to tell you that" said Hermione

"Then, why did you say it?" Rob sneered. Hermione had a lump in her throat now.

_Please, please just forgive me._

"I don't know" said Hermione sadly still not looking up "I was trying to encourage you because I knew you were feeling down and your spell hadn't gone right. But the thing is I didn't use the right words and I ended up hurting you and I am really, really sorry. I understand if you don't want to talk to me ever again…"

She let out a faint sob and a single tear fell down to her cheek.

"Hermione" said Rob

"It's ok Rob, I totally, understand" Hermione stammered

"Hermione"

"I mean I was very rude to you and I know you were trying very hard"

"Hermione"

"… it was very stupid of me and I kno…"

"HERMIONE!!" Rob yelled getting the attention of some second years that were passing, but were quickly gone.

"Yes?" she asked softly, her eyes fixed on a small stone in the ground that was apparently very interesting.

"Look at me" he said. The sentence confused her and she slowly looked at Robert. His face was still serious but a small smile formed on his lips faintly.

"Apology accepted" he said.

"Thank you!" she said excitedly jumping up a little. Robert then looked again through the window and Hermione understood that she shouldn't be interrupting. Nevertheless she entered the charms room with a smile plastered on her face.

* * *

Robert gazed for a few more minutes through the window, when he recognized the voice of his two best friends. They had set a dungbomb in one of the statues on the third floor and it had gone off just when two Slytherins were walking by it.

Their laughs were already known by the Gryffindors from their year and it usually meant they had succeeded. Still, they weren't match for the Weasleys, mainly because they were still on their first year and didn't know many spells.

"Hey robs!" said Ron patting him o n the shoulder

"Good day, huh?" said Rob

"Amazing I would say" added Harry smiling.

"It's Halloween" said Ron "I can't wait for the feast"

"Always thinking about food…" said Rob and rolled his eyes.

Professor Flitwick had just started with the levitating charms since he had announced he thought that they were ready. Although everyone in the class was excited and looking forward to make objects fly, almost no one had succeeded it. Well, except maybe from Hermione. But secretly, Harry, Ron and Robert were already able to levitate furniture around their room.

"Levitating Objects is not as simple as waving your wand and speaking the words" said Professor Flitwick while he levitated Neville's toad.

'_Yeah right' _thought Harry.

"It needs concentration and the right technique. Now everyone follow my movements and repeat."

He then waved his wand left softly and then abruptly down.

"Swish and Flick" he said in a high pitched voice. When he observed every student had done the movements he waved his wand again.

"_Wingardium Leviosa"_

The toad flew again into Neville's desk and the little wizard split the classroom in teams of two. Thankfully, Harry and Rob were together but Ron had to put up with Hermione, who just like him, had not spoken a word in the whole class.

Rob was waving his wand lazily, not caring if the feather they had to levitate moved at all – not that he couldn't do it, but, as always, he didn't fancy to show off. Harry swished and flicked as Flitwick had done before but he could only get the feather to levitate a few inches, since he wasn't really putting much effort.

However, Ron wasn't having much luck with his teammate and was waving furiously his wand and yelling the spell. Hermione shook his head and told him to stop.

"You're saying it all wrong, Ron, duh!" said Hermione calmly, but in a very scornful way.

"Well, you do it, _if you are so clever"_ said Ron crossing his arms angrily.

"Your problem it's your pronunciation, look" she said grabbing her wand and pointing at the feather.

"_Wingardium Leviosa"_

The feather immediately leaped off from the table and hovered over a few feet above the ground.

"That is perfect Miss Granger" said Professor Flitwick "Everyone look at that, perfect concentration and technique, that is 20 points for Gryffindor. Of course levitating a feather is easy compared to levitating a trunk or a hundred pound weight for instance"

Hermione let the feather down and smiled proudly, not noticing the scowl she was getting from Ron. She then immediately saw Rob staring at her. She smiled at him but he didn't return it, but she read perfectly his eyes.

'_You mocked my friend, why are you smiling at me?'_

Ron was red of anger by the end of the class, and Harry compared him to a tomato, which just infuriated him more.

"No wonder she's got no friends!" said Ron angrily to both his friends "I can see why no one stands her"

Then they heard someone running the opposite way and saw a bunch of bushy brown hair disappear by the corner. Harry and Rob looked at each other and then to Ron.

"You think that she heard us?"

"Who cares!" exclaimed Ron "She was probably running to the next class just to prove how _punctual_ she is" he added, but his face told another story. Rob noticed that he looked a bit concerned as he stood up to see if she had returned from the hallway.

But Hermione did not go to the next class. Everyone noticed since she was not the type that would miss a lesson randomly. Rob then heard from one of the Patil twins that Hermione had been seen crying alone in the bathroom on the third floor. Ron looked down for a bit but then shrugged and tried forget what he had said.

Later on that evening, the staff had prepared the famous Halloween feast for the students. They were amazed when they entered the great hall. The candles were now replaced with big pumpkins and the ceiling had been bewitched to show a storm raging outside. The boys laughed while the Weasley twins bewitched an armor to pursue an incredulous group of Hufflepuffs that shrieked when the statue jumped up and said 'boo'.

The decorations were really impressive, with fluttering bats flying around the tables, or the many spiders – that much to Ron's dismay – were put up in every single corner of the castle. They sat then in the Gryffindor table just before Dumbledore said a few words and the feast appeared in the plates.

They were joined later by the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly-Headless Nick, who enacted his own execution in a comical way for the enjoyment of the students. Several Hundred ghost were also popping out here and there around the Great Hall, getting a few shrieks of oblivious students.

"Ron you eat like a starved pig" said Harry bluntly

"Wag de yog meen" said Ron swallowing the piece of pumpkin pastry he had been eating. "I am not a…"

But he was abruptly interrupted when the great hall doors busted open, startling most of the students. A very terrified Quirrel entered the hall gasping for breath.

"Trolls!" he yelled with all the strength he could muster "in the dungeons! I thought you should know"

And with that he fainted and fell on the floor. The effect was instant and many of the students screamed in terror but they were silenced before they could run out the hall by Dumbledore.

"Don't panic, children." He said softly "The staff will take care of this matter; there is no need to be scared if you follow the prefects to your common room. I would ask every Professor now to follow me immediately"

"Trolls?" asked Harry while walking behind the rest of the Gryffindors "Aren't they supposed to be very dumb"

"Yeah" said Ron "they couldn't have entered by themselves. Probably a Joke"

"Not the twins right?" asked Rob

"Nah, they wouldn't have done anything to seriously hurt anyone, unless it was the Slytherins, I think." Said Ron rather anxiously.

"Oh no!" said Harry

"What?" both Ron and Robert asked

"Hermione is still on the bathrooms"

"We should go warn her" said Rob

Ron sighed and looked nervously at the other people entering the common room. He struggled within himself but finally gave up.

"Fine, but don't let Percy see us"

They broke from the group of Gryffindors and headed straight for the third floor bathrooms. They ran through the staircases and headed right and then left to the hallway. But they stopped dead on their feet when they saw what was in front of them. In front of the lavatories, two monstrous, huge creatures stood dumbly. They had a bald, wrinkled brown skin, with a few clothing on them and a gigantic club in their hands, pointed short ears and a big nose. Their stomach was the size of the three of the boys put together and with every step the floor shook.

They stared terrified as the trolls walked inside the girl's bathroom were surely Hermione was hiding. Not really knowing what they were doing, they sprinted towards the bathroom and watched Hermione cornered between the two monsters. She was sobbing and was unable to move an inch. And without thinking it twice the three boys jumped in action.

"Hey your bloody piece of hippogriff shit!" said Ron angrily at the troll.

The first one turned and saw them pointing their wands at him. He then raised his club and sent a crashing blow to the boys, who barely dodged it. Instead the wall and doors from the lavatory were destroyed and Harry and Ron got separated from Rob who had been left outside in front of the first troll

"Go get Hermione, I will distract this one!" he exclaimed and jumped back as another blow from the club went just next to him.

They turned to see the other troll and saw that it was about to hit Hermione and Harry did the only thing that crossed his mind. He jumped up and grabbed the Trolls head, sticking his wand in his nose. He then remembered a spell that the twins had done to a Ravenclaw just a week before.

'_Hope it works!'_ He thought

"_Rictusempra!"_

The trolls started shaking violently and he forgot about Hermione that had at last recovered from the shock and ran towards the exit where Ron awaited. But now Harry was in problem, not to mention Robert. Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and shook him violently.

"Ron, do something!" said Hermione scared.

The troll finally managed to throw Harry were the other two were watching and it had become angry from the attacks and turned to see the three kids now too shocked to move. He raised the club one again, and Ron reacted sending him the first spell that his mind told him.

"_Wingardium Leviosa" _

Hermione's eyes opened widely and went from Ron to the troll as he tried to reach the club that was now many feet above him. Then, commanded by the red headed boy, the club fell directly on the trolls head, knocking it out unconsciously.

They glanced at the troll apprehensively but realized it wouldn't be getting up soon. Then a roar came from outside and the three of them looked at each other. Harry then flicked his wand and the club transformed into a set of ropes and with another wave, the troll had been tied up in the ground. Harry and Ron smirked when they noticed Hermione gawking at their display of magic. But their smile faded when they head a distant rumble.

"Rob!" they said at unison.

The three of them ran out and looked left and right. Then Harry noticed a gigantic shadow coming around the corner. A pair of frantic steps was heard in between and Robert came panting and stopped when he reached them. Slowly he turned around waiting for the troll. But suddenly he began hearing another sound. A faint, deep growl started echoing on his head and he knew the beast in him had awakened. He tried to fight it but it was useless.

With gigantic steps, the troll appeared in their view and Robert raised his wand. Hermione looked at him when she noticed his eyes had gone blank and his face was full of anger. She took a step back, making Harry and Ron detect the sudden change in their friend. The troll was about to send a blow from its club when Robert sent his spell, and his voice had changed, becoming much hoarse and unnatural.

"_Vilya: Ahasul"_

Ron, Harry and Hermione were dumbstruck at what they saw. They couldn't believe their eyes and Hermione tried to wipe them. Ron pinched himself and Harry attempted to clean his glasses.

The trolls was levitating a feet above the ground and Robert without any effort to maintain it that way. One thing was to levitate a relatively lighter wooden troll club, but taking the whole three-ton monster was completely different.

A raging wind pulled them against where the troll floated and they struggled to stay on their feet, but Robert stood there, pointing his wand at the floating figure of the monster as it fought with no avail to free from the spell of the boy.

They saw as Robert concentrated, clenching his teeth, and then, with a flick of his wand, Robert sent the troll flying to the ceiling at an impossible speed and its head crashed. The other three flinched when they heard a cracking sound that its neck made and Robert merely broke the link with the troll. The Wind finally stopped leaving the lifeless body to crash down to the floor and the ground shook violently, leaving a crater below the monster.

Hermione was the first one to glance at Robert, but she saw that his face had not changed. The blank look on his eyes had now fallen upon her and she had to step back again when she saw an angry scowl formed on Robert's lips. Harry immediately saw this and stepped in between the two of them. Robert took a few steps towards the girl but Harry put a hand on his left arm.

"Stop Robert, it's us"

The reaction was instant. Robert's eyes widened and he had to clutch the sides of his head. Harry and Ron reached for him and helped him as he panted, gasping for air as he stumbled to the ground. Hermione recovered herself and went towards the three boys to help Rob. Several couple of steps were heard from the opposite side of the hallway, and Robert had finally recovered from his seizure, and held to Harry's and Ron's cloaks.

Finally, McGonagall appeared from the staircase followed closely by a Flitwick, Hagrid and a limping Snape. Harry frowned at this and he saw that his leg had been gravely scratched, but he ignored it when McGonagall started yelling at them.

"For Merlin's Beard children what has just happened?" she said angrily but concerned.

"Professor, I must admit that you look lovely when you are so angry and worried" said Ron joking.

McGonagall then held a hand to her hearth and Flitwick and Hagrid checked the girl's bathroom, contemplating the other troll. Snape just stood them observing them closely.

"Weasley, this is not the ruddy time to be joking" she said as she took a deep breath.

"Would you care to explained what were you doing here" sneered Snape "Looking for problems, I assume."

The three boys looked down to their feet and Robert was about to explain but was beaten by Hermione who took a step towards the teachers.

"It was my fault" said Hermione ashamed. "I was trying to stop the Trolls. I had read about them in the library and I thought I would be able to manage one of them. But things got out of hand and I freaked out. If they hadn't come to help me I would surely be dead."

"You sure are lucky to be alive!" said Flitwick angrily.

"Blimey, Hermione what were yeh thinkin'? Trying to beat up a mountain troll on yer own?"

"I'm very disappointed Miss Granger" said McGonagall coldly "I wouldn't have expected you to be this reckless."

Ron was beyond himself. Had Hermione Granger told a lie to cover for them? Was the world ending or what? McGonagall then turned to the other three boys.

"You have no idea how lucky you were. Nevertheless, I will grant you 20 points each for the courage displayed by helping rescuing your friend" she said looking at Hermione who had suddenly blushed. The girl then took off towards the Gryffindor tower.

"However I must remind you that any other rule breaking will not be tolerated. Now off you go, we'll get rid of the trolls"

The three of them then walked to the common room silently and as fast as their feet allowed them. When they reached the entrance they found Hermione waiting for them, looking very nervous.

"Hey" she said looking at the ground

"Hey" the three of them answered.

The four of them then went silent and they stood there awkwardly for a couple minutes before one of them spoke.

"I-I-I wanted to thank you" said Hermione stuttering first but speaking clearly but in a soft voice to them.

"Yeah, no problem Hermione" said Harry, and the three of them reached for the portrait but Hermione stepped between them.

"Wait! I just"

"Yeah what's up" said Ron hastily.

"I really wanted to apologize for…" she stopped to take a deep breath and sighed.

"For everything… I've been very rude to you and treating you like… trash"

"Calling us ignorant toerags if I remember correctly" said Harry.

Hermione froze and she looked down again.

"Yea, for that too… The thing is…" She trailed off again, trying to find the right words.

"We're right here, you know?" said Rob exasperated.

"I was scared…"

The three boys raised their eyebrows at the same time and looked at each other.

"I don't know. I just wanted to fit in, and I thought being a muggleborn would mean that I had to compete with everyone and… oh god… I didn't mean to mock you or insult you. I just"

Tears started falling to her cheeks and she had to lean against the wall. She then sat on the ground and started sobbing. They now where really concerned and saw a side from the girl they ignored. They too knew how it felt to be alone, and were equally scared when they got to Hogwarts, but they had each other for support. Instead, Hermione had been mocked and harassed since her arrival in spite of her efforts of being a great student. Rob then got close to her and Ron and Harry followed him.

"I feel alone, everybody hates me!" she exclaimed, and realization hit them. Ron and Harry then sat on the ground next to her and Rob across, leaning to the staircase.

"And then you came to save me, and you were so cool" said Hermione "You took care of two mountain trolls, and it was awesome, like nothing I have done in class. I feel stupid and like a total piece of shit"

She then took her hands and covered her face, leaning against her knees. She sobbed uncontrollably and the three boys then looked at each other and nodded.

"You aren't an idiot" said Harry

"Yea, more than the brightest witch of our year" added Rob. Hermione then raised her face and looked at them apprehensively, with tears still falling from her eyes and her cheeks swollen from so much crying.

"But you're right… we are cool" said Ron.

Hermione then snorted, and let out a faint sob. Then Both Harry and Ron put an arm around her and Rob smiled widely to her.

"You should have seen your face when we got to the bathroom" said Rob, trying to cheer her up. A small smile formed on her lips, telling him that he had succeded.

"It was simply hilarious" added Harry "Like totally freaked out"

The three of them laughed and they noticed Hermione stopped crying and was laughing heartily.

"Thanks, guys…" she said, looking relaxed.

"So… Hermione" said Harry "apology accepted. Just don't go back calling the usual nicknames ok?"

"Deal" she said merrily.

"Urgh" Harry said, watching his wand "Troll booger"

Hermione then smiled even harder and laughed. The three boys then followed and then they couldn't stop. It took them ten minutes to stop themselves and recover. They stared at each other and smiled.

But the night had not come to an end.

"Rob… I just…" said Hermione, still apprehensively. Harry knew the stare she had and frowned.

"huh?" he said raising an eyebrow. But far from being surprised, he was scared. He knew the questions weren't far away.

"I… er… are you ok?" she said softly, trying to be as nice as she could "It's just that… what you did back there… you didn't look like yourself"

Rob's eyes wandered towards the nearest window and he gazed to the night. Harry knew that stare very well and it didn't mean anything good.

"Is something wrong, Dumbles?" said Harry worriedly.

"No…"

"We know better, Robert" said Ron seriously, but smirked afterwards "Now, really, we know something is bothering you"

He checked if anyone was nearby and when he was sure no one was watching he let out a deep sigh. Harry raised an eyebrow and Ron frowned. But Hermione stood up only to reach his side and sit down next to him.

"It's okay Rob" said Hermione looking worriedly and she rubbed his arm trying to comfort him "I want you to know that you can trust us, and that I never meant to say the things I said to you"

Dumbledore looked at her and smiled softly. He recognized that she was really repented and in her eyes, he found someone he could trust. Looking to Harry and Ron, he got the same feeling and decided it was time.

"Guys" he said nervously "I want to tell you something…"

"That you are secretly a girl and you're in love with Snape? don't bother we already know" said Ron mockingly, making them both laugh.

"Ron!" said Hermione laughing softly.

"Shut up, git" he said smiling "anyways, I don't think anyone knows this besides me, and you know, Dumbledore. Maybe McGonagall but I am not sure."

Ron's eyes opened widely and Harry gave a slight reassuring nod to continue. Hermione just sat, hearing intently at his words.

"well I-i…" Rob stammered.

"It's okay, mate. Don't worry" said Harry and Robert breathed deeply.

'_He sure looks nervous'_ Harry thought.

"I-I'm not really Dumbledore's grandson" he blurted out, and Harry immediately understood but Ron's mouth was gaping forming an 'o' with his lips and Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Then wh…" started Ron but was cut off by Harry, who encouraged Rob to continue.

"I had lived in an Orphanage for ten years when Dumbledore visited me. It was terrible. Somehow everyone hated me, all the children and the nuns. I just couldn't understand why. I had gotten there when I was only one year old. I can still remember it faintly, a cold dark winter night, with a snowstorm raging throughout the country.

Sister Rosalie, the only one that ever cared for me, was the one to open the door that night and offer me a bed and a warm blanket. Then about two months and a half before we got here, Dumbledore arrived at St. Mark's and demanded to see me. He told me I was a wizard and showed me some magic" he said leaving out the part where he put out Dumbledore's fire without a wand.

"I was going to go to Hogwarts, but the Mother from the Orphanage would not allow me so Dumbledore was forced to adopt me, which he did gladly."

Harry's jaw fell and Hermione and Ron had a similar gesture, but Robert continued.

"Well I was very happy that I was going to become a Wizard and come to Hogwarts. But two nights before I went to Diagon Alley, St. Mark's was attacked"

"What? By whom!?" exclaimed Ron and Hermione gasped.

"I don't know" said Robert. Harry saw that he was trembling and tears were falling through his cheeks. He and Ron then walked next to him and Hermione and put her arm in his shoulder.

"I-I-IT was awful" he said trembling "you c-can't imagine how dreadful it was. There were… bodies scattered everywhere. They were only children, some of them not even five year old. Everyone I had known from my entire life was… _dead_"

He was choking now, and Harry helped him to lean against him because he was starting to lose his balance. All of them were at loss of words. The way he was describing the attack told them it had been incredibly awful. Hermione couldn't take it anymore and started crying along with him, as the four of them leaned against the staircase.

"I saw some terrible curses" said Rob sobbing "I-I saw as the nun that had taken care of me all my life was murdered in cool blood. And when I was about to be killed…"

His voice trailed off and he looked up to the ceiling trying to fight the tears.

"He came… I think…" he said "Dumbledore I mean"

"Wow, Rob" muttered Rob "I can't tell you how sorry I am" he said sincerely.

"I-I… feel awful" said Hermione "all the things I told you…I"

"Don't worry, it's in the past now" said Rob smiling softly

"Anyways, it was then that it started… this feeling… when something takes over me. This time I really was going to hurt someone wasn't i?"

Harry put his arm in the back of his neck and tried to comfort him and Hermione rested her chin on her hand, as if she were trying to remember something.

"I'm scared…" said Robert

"Don't be man, is ok" said Ron reassuringly.

Rob sobbed harder and both embraced him letting him cry it out. The sobs faded by the minutes and then he was calm but looked tired.

"Thanks…For listening" said Robert

"Nonsense, we are here for you" said Harry smiling kindly. He pitied him and was seriously concerned. But deep inside, he was glad that he had finally opened up.

"Just… don't tell anyone okay?" he said pleadingly. The three of them helped him stand up and took him inside the common room and to their dormitory. After leaving him to rest on his bed, Harry and Ron escorted Hermione back to the common room.

"He trusted us" said Harry seriously to both of them "It was very hard for him and yet he trusted us. He doesn't even know us that long and yet he spilled out his heart"

"I know…I really feel bad for him" said Ron with an equal look on his face "I think that he didn't really told us what it was like"

"And I don't think I want to know" added Harry "What I do know it's that I'm not going to let him down"

"Neither am I" said Ron.

He now understood all the seriousness and all the moments he would stare into nothing. And Ron was right; he let out the details of the attacks at the orphanage. It must have been too… difficult to tell the story, and it would have been worse if he had been forced to relive the deaths he had witnessed.

Then he remembered. How could he be so stupid? He had seen the report in the _Prophet_ just after they got to Hogwarts. Everyone was concentrated on the Gringott's story but Robert had read the little report on the back of the front page.

_He trusts us now. I'm sure as hell that I won't break that trust. Anyways, something good came out from this._

"I have an idea" said Hermione suddenly and Harry glanced quickly to her "I might know how to help him fight this thing that takes over him."

"Really, now?" said Ron smirking "Why don't you tell us?"

"I will, Ron" she said answering with a smile on her face "Let me just give it some thinking and I'll tell you tomorrow ok? I need to get a book first"

"Always the bookworm, huh Hermione?"

"That's why I get good grades" she added sticking her tongue out.

"Good night guys. And thank you… a lot" she said hugging both of them smiling.

And since that day, with an unspoken agreement, she had become their friend.

A/N: Finally, the seventh chapter is done! Anyways, what do you think of the fic so far? Good? Bad? Please leave review!


	8. The Ifrit

**Chapter 8: The Ifrit**

Since the accident on Halloween, the four friends had become inseparable. Hermione of course refrained herself of participating during the pranks to the Slytherins - although she usually had a good laugh with them - and she would tease them about the girls that they tried to hit on.

"You _sooo_ thick, Ron" said Hermione on the breakfast a couple of days before the Quidditch game.

"What? Why?" he asked not taking his eyes off from a couple third years Gryffindor that passed behind him.

"They are mocking you" the girl added.

Rob and Harry, who had too been watching the girls snapped their head to Hermione.

"You think of yourselves as greek gods, but are just… kids. Just give it time, and stop drooling please" she said smirking and sticking her tongue out.

"I prefer the term of young adults on growth process" said Harry nonchalantly.

"And girl, we are _handsome" _said Ron passing his hand through his hair, taking out a laugh from everyone around.

"Well at least I am" he added.

"Don't listen to him, Hermione." Said Fred from behind her, making her drop her pumpkin juice. Fred and George had began treating Hermione like a friend too and liked to play pranks to her.

"She's right though" said George

"You guys are just first years, bunch of midgets I might add"

"Oh bugger off" said Ron.

"So, Harry, m'boy" said Fred ignoring his younger brother "nervous about your first game?"

Harry, who had been just biting his toast, coughed and gagged when he heard Fred.

"Er… sort of" he added. He had been practicing twice a week with the team for two hours each day, but the idea of playing in front of all the school hadn't grown on him.

"Don't worry" said Fred

"Just imagine the face that Malfoy will have when you beat his precious team" said Ron.

He wanted no other thing than to silence the obnoxious good-for-nothing git once and for all, but the support comments of his friends weren't really helping that much. A knot formed on his stomach and he audibly gulped struggling to swallow one last piece of toast. A hand landed on his shoulder and he saw Robert grinning at him.

"You are going to be fine. It runs in your family you know?" he said

"Huh? How can you possibly know that?"

"It's true" said Hermione "If you think it through its logic"

The four boys raised their eyebrows not understanding the meaning of what she said. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Well, look at it this way" she said resting her right elbow on the table and started counting with her fingers.

"Number One: You are the youngest player to ever make the Gryffindor team in a _century"_

The twins nodded in agreement and silently gestured her to continue, since she had had the desired effect on Harry.

"Number two: You have been practicing like a slave for Merlin knows how much time. I swear if I hear again Wood's name I'll hex him to oblivion."

Everyone laughed heartily since they knew how stressful their captain could be. Hermione smiled when she saw that Harry had finally grinned and took a gulp of his pumpkin juice.

"Number three: Do you seriously believe that their seeker can catch up with you? Have you ever seen how dumb he is?"

"Yeah Valari isn't what you would call very… fit for riding a broom. Have you seen how sloppy his walking is? I bet he couldn't distinguish his left foot from his right" said Fred thoughtfully.

"Or from his head for that matter" said George

"Anyways, like I was saying before you interrupted me" said Rob scowling at them.

"It runs in your family. I saw it on the trophy room, '_James Potter: Chaser'_ it said. His team won the Quidditch cup two times when he was captain."

"Really?" asked Harry hopefully.

"Yep, it's true"

"Wow, I guess it won't be that bad huh?" said Harry a bit nervous, but it was obvious he was more relaxed after that.

* * *

But their comments weren't enough to calm down Harry the actual day of the game. He stood numbly on the dressing room just a couple feet away from the Quidditch stadium. Clad on his scarlet robes, he clenched his brand new Nimbus 2000, trembling lightly in anticipation. He could see Wood speaking but he wasn't able to hear a single word of what he was saying. The only thing he was able to make out was the distant muffled roar from the stadium, just a few steps away.

Wood finally opened up the door separating them from the audience, and the rumble increased tenfold. Slowly but determined he made way towards the door, following closely the two Weasley twins. Just before they stepped through, they both looked back and nodded.

"Come on mate its time" said Fred.

"You will do fine. As Dumbledore said, it runs in your blood" reassured George, taking their final step. Harry breathed out deeply and finally stepped out to the stadium.

The effect was immediate, when he heard the hundreds of voices, and the four houses cheering up their favorites, an adrenaline rush coursed through his entire body. He took position in the team's formation, as Wood stepped back from almost breaking Flint's wrist. The Slytherin team captain eyed Wood and whispered angrily to the beaters. Harry then turned and watched the rest of his own team. Alicia, Katie and Angelina were all making final adjustments to their cloaks, fixing their gloves and preparing their brooms. The twins practiced their swings with their bats, but were utterly distracted when the very good looking chasers started stretching in front of them. Harry chuckled softly and turned to see the opposite team.

He did not recognize the two beaters but he recognized that they were pretty large. However, it did not help them to look extremely dumb as they nodded at whatever flint was trying to explain to them. Harry grimaced when he saw that Mulciber and Valari eyed him suspiciously. They were both talking to the Keeper whose name he ignored. Just next to them was the other Valari he hadn't had the… pleasure of meeting. Aleksei his name was. He had to admit that Hermione was right, when he scanned his rival seeker. The slightly older boy looked confused while trying to hop on the broom.

Harry smirked and turned to see the stands where Hermione, Ron and Robert were already cheering up the Gryffindor team. Rob noticed his stare and nodded. Harry returned the gesture and the whistle marked the beginning of the game.

"Welcome to the first game of the Quidditch Season at Hogwarts!" exclaimed Lee Jordan from the Gryffindor stands. "This year Gryffindor team is featuring their newest discovery: Harry Potter, Seeker!"

The whole stadium erupted in cheers, except from the Slytherins. He glanced at the high stands and waved his hand at his friends, but he couldn't help to smile when more hollering came from his whole house.

_Here goes nothing…_

Fifteen brooms rose into the clear sky of November. Harry's blood boiled with excitement as he accelerated breaking the formation. He watched amazed how skillful the three Gryffindor chasers were and how the two twins aimed perfectly at their opponents, creating an opening for Katie Bell to score the first goal. Harry smiled at this and started surveying the whole stadium, swooping behind the Slytherin hoops at maximum speed.

"And Bell scores the first goal magnificently! If only she would go out with me, I've been asking her for a year!" he said sighing deeply.

"Jordan, concentrate on the game!" yelled angrily McGonagall. However, Katie bell flew just next to the Gryffindor stand and winked thoroughly at Jordan, who instantly blushed and continued cheering up the team.

* * *

On the Gryffindor stands, Hermione, Ron and Robert were watching carefully the game progress. Rob was mesmerized, he had never seen a sport been played at such speed, not to mention that it took place in mid air. Hermione, who was a muggleborn, was also gasping every time that the Quaffle was passed or a bludger nearly missed someone's head. Ron laughed at the expression Hermione had, which earned him a punch on his arm. Harry smirked from afar when he saw this. It was in that instant that he felt his broom stop bluntly and jerk sideways.

"Wait a moment, what is Potter doing?!" exclaimed Jordan in the distance.

Robert frowned when he saw Harry spiraling up and down. Hermione then pointed at something across the stadium and they saw a cloaked person pointing a wand at Harry. The figure was hiding behind the seats, where no one cared to look back.

"Look, he is doing something to Harry's broom!" said Hermione.

"Let's go, _Move!" _said Ron desperately.

The three of them ran down and sprinted towards the Slytherin stands as fast as their legs allowed them. Without taking rest they climbed the staircase and stopped just before they reached were the cloaked man was. When they finally spotted him, the cloaked figure turned abruptly at them.

Robert could feel his heart thumbing, with a much known sensation overtaking him. He felt his anger rising and his blood boiling. He clutched his wand and clenched his teeth. It didn't take long for Hermione and Ron to notice his eyes had gone blank, but they were too shocked to stop him when he took a step forward towards the assailant. The voices from the stadium faded and he could only hear his breathing.

"I have been waiting for you" said the attacker in a hoarse, high pitched voice. None of them could make out if it was a man or a woman who was talking. But what surprised Hermione and Ron the most was the way that Robert answered. His voice had turned deep and powerful, and it had acquired a demonic touch.

"Leave now _Snake_, you are not welcome here"

"You know I can't do that, my mission cannot be compromised. I must make sure the Heir isn't killed… yet" replied the hooded man in a low voice.

Hermione and Ron frowned at the response of the mysterious person. Was he speaking of Harry? Was he protecting him?

"Your companion seems to have… forgotten about his mission" said Robert mockingly.

"Doesn't matter… we will obtain the book either way, boy"

"Silence _snake…_" replied Robert angrily.

"Make me" said the man defiantly, pointing his wand at Robert.

"_Naur: __Aikanaro"_

A fire blaze sprung out from Robert's wand. Hermione and Ron had to step back from the heat radiated. The two of them were completely unable to move as they observed how the fire rose from side to side. It appeared to be sentient, as it surveyed the surroundings. When it realized the attacker was in front of Robert, it launched against it, but he raised his wand as well.

"_Jut: Skut'maadh"_

A sphere of red water erupted from the man's wand, protecting him from the fire of Robert's spell. The fire was quickly consumed by the red water, and the hooded man laughed wickedly at Rob.

"You are nothing to me" said the hooded man "You couldn't even save your little friends the _last time"_

Hermione and Ron froze. This was not an attack from a bored Slytherin trying to have fun. The hooded figure was not any bully student from Hogwarts trying to teach Harry a lesson.

Robert stood without making any movement, his wand pointing directly at the man's heart, if he had one that is.

"What are you waiting for, boy? Don't you have more tricks to show me?"

A sudden holler came from the seats signaling another goal from the Gryffindor team and a sudden wind blew, forcing them to cover their face. When Robert turned again to the attacker, it had already vanished. His heartbeat slowed down and his eyes returned to normal. He looked around and noticed Hermione and Ron watched confused at where the man had been a second before.

"What the hell was that!?" asked Ron

"Rob, are you ok?" asked Hermione

"What is happening here?" said a voice behind them, and Snape walked straight to them, with an angry scowl on his face "planning on one of your hideous jokes?"

"Professor! Someone was hexing Harry's broom" exclaimed Hermione frantically and reached for Rob before he fell to the floor. Snape's face changed and he opened his eyes widely.

"Did you see his face?" asked Snape coldly, but Hermione and Ron ignored him.

"Rob, Rob can you hear me, answer me" yelled Ron shaking him.

"I asked if you saw his face!" exclaimed Snape loudly to get Hermione's attention.

"NO!" Said Hermione still trying to help Rob "He was hooded in a black cloak, he did something to Robert".

Robert blinked rapidly and regained consciousness. He looked his surroundings and watched Hermione and Ron relax. Then he felt a hand grab his elbow and Snape made him follow.

"Where… who… what's happening?" asked Rob trying to catch Snape's pace.

"Mr. Dumbledore I will take you immediately to the Headmaster. Granger, Weasley, go back to the Gryffindor stand and alert Professor McGonagall. Hopefully, the game will end soon enough"

* * *

On mid air, Harry was wondering what could have happened to his broom and why had it stopped. However, he had to push the thought aside as a bludger passed just an inch above his head, and he accelerated. Just when he dodged a second one, he saw a glint of gold behind the Slytherin hoops. He smirked, and shot rapidly towards it, not caring if the six chasers were in his way.

"Johnson passes the Quaffle, and Valari is in pursuit of Spinnet now, but _what?!" _said Jordan hysterically.

Harry couldn't believe the speed he had as he closed on the chasers just in front of him. Just when Mulciber was about to get the Quaffle from Alicia's pass to Katie, Harry leaned forward and burst through the Slytherins formation and through the beaters attack.

"Potter breaks the Slytherins defense! His speed is incredible! Wait" he said once again, and the audience gasped "Yes! He has seen the snitch and Valari is nowhere near him!"

But just when he was about to get to the Slytherin hoops, a glint of green caught his stare and the Slytherin keeper launched in his broom to ram him.

Everything went slow motion in that instant. He could hear his heart thumping loudly. The snitch was a few yards away, right in the middle of the right hoop, but the Keeper was gaining on him. In that split second, he did the only thing that came to his mind. He grabbed the broom and stood on his feet, and just before the keeper tackled him, he jumped.

An audible gasp erupted from the whole stadium as Harry flew towards the Snitch. Seconds seemed ages as the snitch slowly became closer and closer. With all the strength he could muster he extended both his hands, and just in the nick of time, he got a hold of snitch on his left hand. The momentum made him pass through the ring, and he saw his broom just below him, and landed right where he had been sitting a second before.

The stadium exploded and he held the Snitch high. Hundreds of voice rose as Harry waved all around, with the golden ball safe on his hand. The holler was incredible, and he could see his team approaching. When they finally landed on the ground he saw Oliver with a huge smile planted on his face. The captain then carried him and spun him around.

"That was incredible potter! Incredible!" he exclaimed as he let him down. The three chasers reached and hugged him too, which made his face turn a deep red, and he was then carried on the twin's shoulders. The whole stadium, except for the Slytherins, started going down to congratulate the Gryffindors victory and Harry finally found the face of Robert, Hermione and Ron.

Robert was next to Dumbledore, who was smiling widely. Ron was jumping around yelling something like_ 'we won, we won!'_ He didn't even care that Snape was watching him carefully when he saw Rob who nodded at him. He couldn't stop grinning when the twins let him down and exclaimed to the whole crowd.

"Party at the common room! NOW!"

_I did it!_

_

* * *

  
_

Somehow, the infamous Weasley twins had managed to take a whole lot butterbeers and supplies for the party. When they were asked how they had gotten them, they merely answered some names without making any sense.

Harry had been celebrating with his teammates and friends, but he hadn't got the chance to speak with Robert, Hermione and Ron privately. It appeared that every single person wanted to talk with him after the stunt he had pulled on the game, and although he was very proud of himself, he didn't like the huge amount of attention.

When he had finally made it out of the common room, his three friends told him about the incident behind the Slytherin stands. Dumbledore was unable to found the trespasser, even when he personally supervised the search. Snape and the rest of the staff seemed actually concerned, since it wasn't very common to see the Headmaster so troubled.

"Are you serious?" asked Harry "It was one of the people who attacked St. Mark's"

Robert nodded looking a bit angered, but before he could say something, Hermione stumbled carrying an old, worn out textbook. She told them they should go up to their dormitory so she could tell them what she had found out privately.

"What is it Hermione" said Ron apprehensively "We aren't really on Homework mood right now"

Hermione shook her head and opened the book, searching through its many pages. She finally found what she was looking for and she turned the book towards the three boys who were watching carefully what the girl was doing. Ron and Harry frowned as they read the page that Hermione had stopped on, but Robert raised his eyebrows in shock.

"What's does this mean Hermione" asked Harry

"That is what I think that has been possessing Rob" said Hermione clearly.

"What?!"

Hermione then took the book from them and put it over her crossed legs as she sat on Ron's bed and began reading.

"_Demonic creatures the Ifrit are, dwelling in a realm apart. The foulest of the four Djinn, they live on fire and die on fire. Only through a pure spirit shall they break into our world. May God be with your soul should you encounter this foe."_

The fourof them looked at each other, a cold shiver running through their spine. Rob read several times the parchment hoping to find an answer to get rid of the Ifrit.

"Robert" asked Hermione "The person that attacked you said something about a book. Do you know of this by any chances?"

Robert looked down but suddenly an idea popped on his mind.

"How could I be so stupid? The answer is right there, wait let me get it." Robert then got up and jumped to his bead. Hermione, Ron and Harry raised their eyebrows when they watched him rummaging through his backpack.

"You're right Hermione I know about the book. Just wait." He said as he threw his school material all over the floor. At last he pulled a bright, white book adorned with shiny silver patterns. He carried the book with him, and dropped it next to the one they had been reading.

"Where did you get this book" said Hermione bewildered.

"I have had it since the day I arrived on the orphanage" he answered and turned so it was facing to Hermione.

"Can you read it?" Rob asked her.

"Wow, this…" she said as she passed from page to page "I had never seen this language before… They are not runes… and… it is unlike any cryptography I have ever read of…"

"Oh ho… wait…" said Ron opening his eyes widely "Can you read this Rob?"

Harry and Hermione were taken aback from this but they immediately looked at Rob's eyes.

"Yes… I can…"

"But How?" said Harry "Not even Hermione knows about this, and that's saying something"

Hermione blushed slightly but quickly shrugged it off. She analyzed the book from beginning to end and she was even more surprised when new chapters appeared after she turned the last page.

"This is… amazing" said Hermione "What does it say"

"Well obviously a _lot _of things Hermione, the book is bloody huge!" said Ron.

"Thank you for stating the obvious Ron" said Hermione scowling at him "I meant, what is it about, what's its title?"

Robert grabbed the book and closed it. He passed his fingers through the symbols engraved in silver, which emitted a soft glow with his touch.

"The book of Magic" said Rob plainly.

Hermione, Ron and Harry stared at him seriously. A couple awkward seconds passed before anyone of them spoke. Finally Ron broke the silence.

"Is that it?" said Ron, which earned him a slap on the back of his head from Hermione.

"Hey, what was that for?!"

"Never mind him, Rob" said Hermione ignoring Ron "So, tell us, what does it say?"

"You're dying to know, right?" said Harry with a sly smile on his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but it was obvious that she was burning inside to know what the book contained. Rob noticed this and a smirk formed on his face. It was the first time he was actually showing that he knew more than Hermione in anything.

"It says everything" said Rob.

"Huh?" said Ron as Hermione opened her eyes widely "What do you mean everything?"

"Here, take a look at this" he said opening on a particular page full of diagrams of human pictures at several positions. They were either holding a wand, doing complex motions or speaking several phrases they could not understand. Hermione examined it up and down and she put her hand to her mouth.

"No…"

"Yes" said Rob…

"No…"

"yes…" said Rob frowning.

"Yes what?" said Harry

"These two are mental" added Ron, but he watched curiously Hermione gawking at the book.

"They are spells" said Rob finally "Thousands of them"

"Wicked!" said Harry and Ron at the same time as they understood why Hermione was shocked.

"Can you do them?"

"I've tried" said Rob disappointed "By the looks of it, I've only managed to do them when I'm in that bloody trance. Oh I almost forgot… this time I can actually remember what happened!"

"And do you remember how did you do the spell?" said Hermione

"Not really, it was like watching it from a TV"

Ron asked what was a television, which made Hermione roll her eyes. They continued watching the book, as some of the figures performing spells moved on their own, explaining the correct way to get it done. Hermione wasn't surprised at this, and it surprised her that all the books in the wizarding world didn't use this method. When they turned to the 130th page, and Ron and Harry were almost asleep, a particular drawing called her attention.

"Rob, what does this say?" asked Hermione

"The Ifrit" he hadn't finished saying it when Ron, Harry and himself had opened their eyes widely and launched themselves to the book. The others watched intently as Rob read the entire page, muttering under his breath words they didn't understand.

"Oh shit" he said looking down "this is bad"

"What is it Rob?" said Hermione concerned "There is surely a way to get rid of it right?"

"Well, there is" said Rob after reading twice the page "It is not easy though. It says here that the Djinn are creatures that leave in a parallel plane, just like in the other book. The Ifrit are the stronger ones, followed by Marids. They usually can't take possession of a body, unless it is a particularly weakened child, and only by a very powerful spell. I remember someone doing a spell on me, but it is different from the description from the book"

"What do you mean someone did a spell to you?" asked Harry.

"Oh, well, when Sister Rosalie gave the book to me the day before I left the orphanage, I had barely opened when a blue light came out of it and suddenly I was at this strange place and a man approached to me and said a spell to me. It did hurt, but it wasn't like the book says, that the person being possessed by the Ifrit will feel like his whole body is burning in hell."

"Wait a moment" said Ron "You said that the day you were leaving, it was when the orphanage was attacked wasn't it?"

"That means" said Hermione apprehensively "that maybe whatever the man did to you triggered something that attracted the attackers to the book"

"I know" said Robert angrily, and Harry noticed this and attempted to change the topic.

"Does it say something about how to get rid of that bloody thing inside you?"

"Yes, but is a very complex incantation" answered Rob.

"Rob" said Hermione "I think it is time we tell Dumbledore"

Rob looked scared at this, but the three of them assured him that he wouldn't think bad of him, because he had done nothing wrong. He accepted with the condition that they wouldn't tell Dumbledore about the book, and they gladly accepted it.

"Yeah, that way we can tell Dumbledore about Snape too…" said Harry thoughtful.

"What about Snape?" asked Ron confused but was interrupted by Harry again.

"I had totally forgotten. Do you remember the night at Halloween with the trolls?"

"Yeah but I wasn't really thinking about Snape, I had my mind rather preoccupied with McGonagall blasting our asses out of Hogwarts" answered Ron. In response, both Rob and Hermione smacked the back of his head.

"I meant if you saw Snape limping" said Harry

"Now that you mention it, I do remember him having a rough time to get to us that night" said Hermione

"I thought he hadn't been able to get to the restroom on time" said Ron, which made everyone grimace at the thought.

"No, really" said Rob "What's the matter with Snape limping?"

"That he had three nasty gashes on his leg. Do you remember what is kept on the third floor?"

"Oh…" said the three of them.

"Then we will have to go to Dumbledore right now. Do you really think that Snape lured the trolls to create a distraction and get whatever Dumbledore is hiding?" asked Hermione.

"Yes" Harry said, and the others nodded.

"Then there is no time to lose" said Ron seriously for the first time, surprising his friends.

They determinedly went down the stairs, and walked straight to the entrance portrait but when they were just about to push it, something hit them.

"Er… guys, does anyone of you know how to get to Dumbledore's office?" asked Hermione

"Nope, haven't got in that much trouble" said Ron

Then they heard an explosion come from behind them and a bunch of fifth years ran away from a smoke coming out from a dung bomb. On the furthest corner of the common room, they heard some people laughing and the four of them smiled as they approached the jokesters.

"Greetings, young mischief makers and… girl, how can we be of service?" asked Fred smirking.

"Surely not more butterbeer, you know what our dear mother will say about that, don't you ikle-Ronniekins?" said George pinching Ron's cheek.

"We aren't looking for…" said Harry laughing at Ron rubbing the side of his face.

"Done, how many crates you want?" said George

"Brother, we are such a failure at trying not to misbehave" said Fred putting an arm on his brother.

"Where's the fun in behaving" asked Harry.

"That's the spirit Potter" they both said at unison.

Ron then explained what they needed to do, but the twins were confused as to why would someone go to Dumbledore's office willingly. After Hermione had explained them that they actually needed the Headmaster's help they shrugged the thought off and told them about the Gargoyle's statue. They quickly left the Gryffindor common room and headed towards the seventh floor and to the Gargoyle's statue.

"Er… do you know the password?" Harry asked Rob.

"Let me see, what does _pops_ like?" he said thoughtful, unaware that he had called him that way. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other laughing lightly.

"Ah yes!" said Rob victoriously "Sweets, candies or anything like that"

"You mean the password can be _lollipop?"_ said Ron confused.

As in cue, the stone gargoyle began moving on itself, opening the way for the Headmaster's office.

"You've got to be kidding me…" said Hermione and she blew air off her forehead.

The four Gryffindors watched in awe how the gargoyle moved and the spiral staircase appeared in front of them. The staircase lead to a single door with a brass hippogriff shaped knob. Nervously, they stood for a couple seconds just before the door, when Rob finally knocked three times. The knob moved slowly and the wooden door creaked open with no one behind it. Inside, they found themselves in a round astonishing room, with windows directed at the mountains further away from the forbidden forest and some others pointed to the Quidditch Stadium.

"This room is… _cool_" said Ron, and the others nodded in agreement as they observed it.

On the wall, several portraits of the previous Headmasters and Headmistress were hung, with their inhabitants either sleep or unaware that the students had just walked in. There were a few tables holding various silver instruments that occasionally emitted a soft smoke or a delicate ring. Just to the right of the Headmaster's desk there was a beautiful fiery red bird, with traces of gold here and there.

"Oh my god!" said Hermione excited "It's a phoenix"

"You're quite right Ms. Granger" said a voice from an upper level behind the desk. Leaning towards the rail Dumbledore stood watching his four students carefully.

"Good evening Professor" said Hermione, followed by Harry and Ron.

"Hey _pops_" said Robert smiling. Dumbledore leaned down his face and watched over his half-moon spectacles.

"You haven't gotten yourself in more touble, right _kiddo_?"

Hermione, Ron and Harry laughed under their breath at the word exchange between their friend and the Headmaster. Dumbledore walked down and invited them to sit as he took the golden armchair behind his desk.

"How can I help you, children?" asked Dumbledore in his usual soft and gentle voice. The four friends looked at each other nervously but the Headmaster smiled softly, so Robert was the first to speak.

"_Pops_, I think we have a bit of a… problem"

"Go on, my boy" he answered.

Robert started telling him about the night on the orphanage, and what had happened since he arrived at Hogwarts. He listened closely to every detail and did not seem surprised by any of it. It was then when Robert told him that they thought an _Ifrit_ was living on his body, that Dumbledore interrupted Robert's speech.

"May I ask, where did you get hold of this information and how do you know about the third floor corridor?" Dumbledore asked as he reclined on the armchair and put his fingers together, resting his arms on his legs.

Rob looked nervously at Harry and his friends, but they were equally silent. Harry then looked at him seriously and nodded. Robert let out a deep sigh and then looked directly at the Headmaster. Then he started telling him how he had gotten the book and about the amazing spells he had been able to perform. He looked seriously concerned for a second when Robert told him how the attacker had mentioned the book during the Quidditch game.

"Oh another thing _pops_" said Robert, and then looked to Harry "Why don't you tell him about Snape?"

It was then Harry's turn to speak up, and he nervously told the headmaster about the robbery at Gringotts and the accident with the three headed dog.

"And then, on Halloween we saw him limping from an injury very likely to be from _Fluffy"_

Dumbledore merely laughed softly at the gamekeeper's choice of name for his monsters.

"There is nothing to worry about Professor Snape" said Dumbledore calmly "he has established one of the protections for the… item, as most of the staff has done"

"Oh…" was all that they could say.

"About this particular, book…" said Dumbledore seriously "Do you happen to have it with you?"

Robert pulled up his backpack from the ground and took out the white book. He handed it to the headmaster and he studied it carefully. As he passed through chapters, he frowned at certain images and raised his eyebrows at others. Finally he put down the book on the desk and closed it.

"This is a very interesting book, if you can read it that is" said Dumbledore, looking at each of their eyes momentarily.

"I have been able to read it since the attack at the orphanage" said Robert, looking from Harry to Dumbledore.

"And I assume you have more information regarding your condition with the Ifrit?" asked Dumbledore

"Yes, it mentions a certain spell, but I can't even get the easier ones done so we decided to ask for your help, _pops_"

Hermione cleared her throat and the headmaster turned his face to see her.

"For what I have gathered, Professor" she said seriously "The Ifrit must have been planted during one of the attacks by one of the assailants. Most probably, it could have been done without Robert knowing or being too preoccupied to defend himself, thus, in a rather weakened condition as stated in the book '_Spirits and Demons from beyond'_ in which we found the description of such spirits"

"No wonder the professors like you Hermione" said Ron bluntly "you speak like them"

Dumbledore smiled softly at her and nodded.

"That is the reason you have been claimed as the brightest witch your age Ms. Granger, your dedication and your boldness are the qualities of a perfect Gryffindor" said the Professor, making Hermione turn a furious shade of red.

"In the matter of the Ifrit… I must say that is very likely that the individuals who performed the various attacks will most probably have invoked this creature and infused it within your body. As I have observed on this book, there is a single spell that will free yourself of the Ifrit, before it consumes you completely. If you could translate for me this particular phrase" said Dumbledore opening the book in the page with the information about the creature "I will begin my research immediately before anything else happens"

"Ok…" said Robert as the four students leaned on the desk to see the book "this one?"

"Yes"

Robert read the phrase twice before he said it out loud. He gave a deep sigh and spoke the words from the book.

"In order to liberate a captive soul from the grasp of the Ifrit, it is needed two cleansers. They should perform a simultaneous spell directed at the victim. Once the Ifrit is expelled, shall it never take another soul"

"_Leithalle ho fea ar' tuulo' en 'kshnaur"_

"Then a second person must pronounce the next spell at the same time. I think this is Latin" said Rob.

"_Autus suus animus quod vindico ex malum incendia"_

When Robert finished, everyone stumbled to their armchairs, feeling defeated. If they couldn't do a single spell of such complexity, how did they expect to do a second one, much less simultaneously?

The Headmaster rose from his seat and started pacing while the four students waited miserably. He approached one of the older portraits and mumbled something to its occupant. The older headmaster whispered back and Dumbledore nodded. He then returned to his armchair and leaned on one of his elbows.

"Ms. Granger" said Dumbledore.

"Yes, Professor?" asked Hermione nervously. Something on the look of the headmaster made her feel uneasy.

"Would you feel capable of performing the second incantation, should you be given the appropriate training?"

"Well… yes" she said apprehensively. She then looked at Robert then and Harry "Yes… I will do it"

Robert nodded, but Harry and Ron gave a confused look at Dumbledore.

"The reason" said the Headmaster, appearing to have read their minds "It's because I feel Ms. Granger to have a greater… control over her emotions. I do not think any less of you and I am quite aware of your capabilities as well".

"Oh well" said Ron "No hard feelings then, Professor" he added laughing.

Something then popped into Harry's mind.

"Professor I well…"

"Yes, Harry?"

Harry gulped soundly, feeling the piercing stare of the Headmaster upon him. He mentally prepared the words and sighed.

"I think we have won the right to know what is hidden on the third floor, Professor. Even though professor Snape is indeed protecting it, the robbery from Gringotts proves that someone's actually trying to obtain it. We might as well help?"

Harry was finally able to breathe after having blurted out the whole sentence without pauses. Dumbledore smiled softly at him and looked towards the ceiling before returning to look at the four students.

"You parents would be proud Harry, and I don't doubt your brother would be too"

Harry smiled sadly but nodded anyways.

"Since you have been able to discover these details by yourselves, it would be wise to reveal the contents of the package. But, to make things a bit more… challenging I will give you a hint"

Hermione almost jumped and her eyes widened but she was ordered to sit down by Dumbledore.

"This… item it's one of the most precious creation in the whole wizarding history. It is the result of many years of work between one of my acquaintances and myself, although he made most of the contributions. He goes by the name of Nicolas Flamel"

The four students looked at each other clueless as to whom this person was. It was obvious that Hermione had gotten the most interest in the sudden challenge, and appeared eager to go to the library. Nevertheless, the headmaster stopped them from leaving.

"There is still one matter I would like to discuss, students" said Dumbledore seriously. "For this, I ask you to follow me. I think that you will find this very… helpful"

With this, the four of them leapt up and silently followed the Headmaster, not risking the chance to talk between themselves. Only through various glances at each other they had some communication. They walked through several corridors within the same level until they arrived to a particular hallway where a single tapestry was hung. It depicted a man name Barnabas the Barmy, who was trying to teach ballet to some trolls.

They quickly crossed the corridor, but Dumbledore then appeared concentrated, as he stopped on his tracks and turned the other way, only to turn back again when they arrived at the beginning of the hallway. To anyone watching them, it would appear a very amusing sight, but the four students couldn't be any more nervous as their headmaster did a third pass by the same corridor.

"_Pops_ what are we…" started Rob asking, but he was silenced quickly when a single door started forming in the opposite wall from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.

The headmaster gestured them to go inside and he closed the door after he entered himself. They were in an incredibly huge hall, void of any furniture. Harry exchanged look with the rest of his friends and they all turned to look at Dumbledore.

"Children, I welcome you to the Room of Requirement. Should you find yourselves in any need, this room will provide you with the necessary aids to fulfill it."

"I had read of it" said Hermione "On '_Hogwats: a History' _ but I wasn't sure to believe it because there is no evidence of someone ever finding it."

"Ah Ms. Granger, that will be because one must be totally concentrated on what one is seeking. Possibly, many students have found it before, but they surely disregarded it as a mere broom shed or a public restroom."

"_Cool"_ said Ron

"That's all you have to say?" asked Hermione distraught.

"Really cool" answered Ron with an amusing, dumb look on his face.

Rob and Harry laughed at the attitude of their friend and they turned their attention at the headmaster.

"Robert, I have brought you here because I wanted to make sure you were indeed being possessed. I will perform a single spell, but it needs a great amount of space, thus, the necessity to bring you here. Now would you like me to confirm this?"

Harry looked to his friend that looked now scared to death. He felt Harry's stare and turned to see him.

"We will be right here mate" said Ron

"Yeah, don't worry Robert we won't let anything happen to you" said Hermione, but Harry just gave a single nod. He always found himself communicating with him that way. It was like they could share an entire conversation with a simple gesture.

"Ok, pops, brig it on" he said defiantly. He closed his eyes when he saw Dumbledore raise his wand. The headmaster then gestured Harry, Ron and Hermione to go behind him.

"_Ostendo vestri eruo"_

Robert opened his eyes, when nothing happened. He watched confused as the professor lowered his wand and Harry and the others frowned. Out of the blue, he started trembling, and his throat constricted. A sudden need to vomit overcame him but instead of emptying his stomach, a gigantic shadow came out of his mouth.

The four students watched in horror as a fiery winged beast formed from the shadow, growling and staring menacingly at them. They could not make its face but it looked incredibly angered. The beast raised his arm to deliver a blow to Dumbledore but the headmaster only waved his wand quickly.

"_Finito"_

Harry saw as the shadow returned through Robert's mouth, and he leaned to the ground, gasping for breath. All of them reached for him and helped him stand up.

"So this is real" said Rob between breaths.

"I'm afraid so, my boy" said Dumbledore "I promise you that I will do whatever is in my power to get rid of the creature, you have my word. Harry, Hermione, Ron, I need you to help him overcome this while I research. Hermione I will send for you to begin the training shortly. For now, you must all rest, keep on with your studies and continue on alert in case you see something strange. Robert, here is your book. Now I will close the room after you."

He passed on the white book to Robert and together they walked out the Room of requirement.

"Take care, my boy" said Dumbledore when they reached the Gryffindor common room.

"Will do _pops_" said Robert.

The four of them wished him farewell as they entered the common room. After having some small talk the three boys separated from Hermione and went to their dormitory for a much needed sleep. Robert was finally able to rest with only a single thought on his mind.

_I will defeat this thing…_


	9. Not Alone

**Chapter 9: Not Alone**

December had finally arrived at Hogwarts bringing with it the first snowfalls. The school fields had been covered with a soft silk white sheet of snow that shone brightly against the sunlight. The frozen lake stood like a gigantic mirror, reflecting the marvelous sight of the mountains on the furthest side of the forbidden forest. It was a sight for sore eyes. On top of the tallest tower, four figures laid down contemplating the mystifying landscape, without caring for the cold morning breeze that swept through their hair. Dressed only on their uniforms, the young Gryffindors could care less if they froze from the chilling morning breeze or if they would miss the Defense Class.

A cold shiver went through Harry's spine, not unnoticed by the younglings flanking him. They knew that, should they be discovered, detention would be the last thing to worry about. Arrogantly, his three dearest friends – and probably his _only _friends ever – had forced him to take a well deserved rest. After all, reliving the deaths of your entire family was not something to take lightly.

Harry shrugged, remembering the horrendous nightmare from the night before. The wicked laugh of the treacherous madman as he blasted his way through his old house entrance echoed throughout his mind again and again. A single tear rolled down his cheek at the voice of his lost sibling as he challenged the single most feared wizard from the century. The bravery of his brother, whose name he had finally learned, was amazing. To step in between Lord Voldemort and his own father was something no ordinary child would do. Harry grimaced at the thought that he might have ran for cover, opposite of what Ethan did.

Ethan.

His brother's name ringed deep inside his soul. On first hand, he had attempted to treat the nightmare as a mere delusion. How could a dream be so real? But after pursuing an answer, the dream had been confirmed as a true memory when Dumbledore revealed his lost brother's identity. He glanced at Robert, and strangely, he reminded him of his brother, which only increased his sorrow. Then, his father. He had choked on his tears when he heard the voice of James Potter crack down while losing his firstborn by the hands of the Dark Lord, only to be ripped from his life afterwards. And his mother, Lily Potter's effort to block the final curse directed at him, and her last plead, caused Harry to break down, sobbing hard against his bed. Only after that, was Robert able to wake him up. He had soothed him like Harry had done when he revealed his friends about the night at St. Mark's. Together with Ron and Hermione, they had decided to take the morning off and rest peacefully where no one would interrupt them.

On top of everything, the scar on Harry's forehead began stinging ever more often than the previous months. Surely, missing one of Quirrel's boring lessons wouldn't harm their education beyond repair. Hell, it would probably be more productive to hear Robert read one of the white book's chapters, even when they probably weren't going to be able invoke its power any time soon. At least on their own they wouldn't.

Right then, none of these thoughts affected them, as the warmth of the sun bathed their skin. Hermione smiled softly and let out a deep sigh as the first gleams of light appeared behind the mountains. Ron watched her amusedly and Harry stared off in the distance.

For several weeks, Dumbledore had been instructing them in the art of magic. They quickly got hold of the most basic spells during the long training sessions in the afternoons. It turns out that Robert was doing exceptionally well since his grandfather had taken on his own his education. Since the beginning of the year, Robert had been holding back during regular classes and would intentionally get bad grades.

Harry felt sad for his friend. Hermione had finally discovered why he did it. Besides not really liking the vast amount of attention his name drew – just as much like Harry's did – he was deadly afraid that he would burst out and murder the entire classroom while trying to perform a simple levitating charm. Obviously, he was never close to admitting to his friends his preoccupations regarding the demon that possessed him. Looking back, Robert probably had a life just as difficult as Harry, if not more.

But spending time with the headmaster had done wonders to his mood and his performance. Hermione was also ecstatic. Not even in her most amazing dreams had she imagined that she would be under the tutelage of the greatest wizard of the century.

A loud cry from the forest caught Harry's attention. Those eerie screams had happened a lot lately. He shot up and focused on the spot a group of birds had just fled, searching for a clue of their sudden escape and another chill crept up his spine.

Fain steps echoed throughout the stone hallway. Lit only. by a few torches, it stretched endlessly, splitting into a never ending maze of tunnels

Dumbledore had discovered that the book was an extremely important object. Should it fall into the wrong hands, it could unleash an evil of such magnitude that the world would enter into the next Dark Age. That's why he needed to train them. He knew the book belonged to Robert now, and as he had told them, the only thing he could do was to train them in order to protect the book.

When he revealed this, they had been really apprehensive about the whole matter. How could some eleven year old boys take that responsibility? Surely it would be safer if it was safeguarded by the Ministry of Magic or Hogwarts. The only real reason he could think of was that Robert was the only one who could read the book. At least the only one they knew of. Dumbledore reached an agreement with them. If they accepted to protect the book, he would be their personal educator. The only thing they had to do was train and study intensively and if they passed the test, the book will remain with them.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Rob

His three companions looked at him but none of them had an answer. They all felt impotent at the situation.

"Are you sure it doesn't say anything else in the book?" asked Ron hopefully, "it has like the whole bloody spellwork from the wizarding history and we can't even do the 'rookie' stuff"

"I hate Defense Class" he said abruptly, slightly angered, and with good reason. Quirrel had never even got to the part of 'Defense' and even less to the 'Dark Arts'.

"He's holding back" said Rob in reply "he doesn't want anyone to learn. I just don't know why"

"Then we ought to do something"

Hermione had spoken up for the second time since they arrived at the astronomy tower, and she seemed dead serious. She sat up and folded her arms around her knees.

"We should focus on learning from the book" she told them, still gazing at the mountains on the distance "One spell at a time"

"That might be actually a good idea" said Harry thoughtful

"Are you sure?" said Ron worried "…a hundred percent sure that you want to do this?"

"I Am" interrupted Robert "Not only to get rid of… this. Have you heard what the older guys say? They aren't really prepared for anything concerning dark arts or how to counter it. Not with Quirrel as professor. What if the people who attacked my orphanage come looking for me, how am I going to defend myself? Think about it, _pops _is the only person that Voldemort feared".

Ron and Hermione winced. Robert was the only person he had heard mentioning the name of the dark wizard, besides Dumbledore and himself. The headmaster was right; the fear of the name only increased the fear of the person itself.

"Me too…" said Harry "For what I have heard, Voldemort's body was never found, what if he comes back".

"Please, stop saying that name" said Ron trembling.

"You know what Dum…"

"I know what he says, but you-know-who didn't fear me".

"I _am_ sure" said Hermione suddenly "Let's do this".

"Ok Ok… I'll do it" said Ron in defeat "I just hope it helps our grades though, mum's going to kill me. When do we start?"

"Now" said Harry and Rob at the same time.

An idea popped into their minds exactly at the same time. Room of Requirement. The four Gryffindors stood up immediately and went down the wooden staircase that Harry had conjured. Hermione was impressed that the three boys were as dedicated as she was, and talented enough to beat her in a few subjects, such as Defense against Dark Arts. It didn't took them long to find the room that barely half a month ago the headmaster had shown them. Still, it surprised them that the room was slightly different this time. It was lesser in size than it had been before, but was spacious enough for them to practice. It had all sort of equipment for training, such as weapons, armors, books and also fake human targets and dummies. Even though Dumbledore had told them how to use it, they hadn't put it to practice before and they were eager to begin. Robert took out the book and plopped himself down on a couch, followed closely by his friends.

"Well, let's start from the beginning" said Hermione.

"Okay then…" said Robert, searching throughout the pages from the book "Well, the book is some sort of diary or memoires."

Harry arched his eyebrow and continued listening intently.

"_This is my Legacy._

_Deceived I have been. We all have. We trusted them and they now return bearing death and despair. Now our ally is lost, and few of us have the will to fight back. _

_ Foul creatures follow them as their gods. Gods they call themselves! How hypocrite and vain they are, calling as theirs a power that belongs to others. _

_I leave this, my legacy… my heritage, to those brave enough to face the darkness they have unleashed. My time is almost over, I feel it. Everything has been lost to me, only my knowledge remains. Let it be the weapon to slay the demons. _

_Deceived I have been. No one trusts me, now that the king is dead, slain by his own blood. How blind I have been. There is only but one chance._

_Should I fail, I leave this as the last hope. Should I fail, I beg you, finish what I have started. "_

"That was weird" said Ron. As always stating the obvious.

"Shush Ron" said Hermione slapping him behind his head.

"_Understand you must, what the evil beholds. They ensnared the order and in their ignorance they have all perished. How wrong I was to believe their lies._

_I have found a way to seal their power, but it won't be enough. I have to make my move, before the demon discovers I took the book. Their source of power has now been sealed. They are vulnerable now._

_Their apprentices will not be far away."_

"Rob… this is bad…" said Hermione "it confirms what Dumbledore told us"

"I know" he replied sadly "We should skip the story for later, lets practice some more."

"I think we should learn about defensive spells first" said Harry.

"So…" said Ron, as he held his own Defense book from his sack "Here it says that the simplest defense spell is the _Protego"_

"That one we can do…" trailed of Harry.

"Wait…" said Rob, skipping a handful of pages "Here, it says something about it"

The three of them closed in next to Robert. To anyone else, the scene would have looked strange, since it wasn't common seeing Robert, Harry and Ron studying. It would be normal though, to find Hermione next to a pile of books. But the fact that she was supposed to be attending class at the moment was enough to raise suspicions. Gladly, no one came through the Room's door.

"_I have observed that in recent developments, there has been found a way to combine ancient speech with common language in the creation of spells. I would recommend refraining of such practice since it decreases the spells power. Such an example is the basic defense spell, which has been adapted nowadays for easier application in the form of the Protego charm."_

"What do they mean nowadays?" asked Hermione confused "It's supposed to be an extremely common, old and relatively easy spell. Makes me wonder how really old the book is"

Harry knew this too. From what he had read in the Defense book, the _Protego_ spell was created several centuries ago and it was the easiest barrier created against another spell, followed by the latin-based charm _Contego_, which created a similar shield that lasted longer than its successor.

"Just let him read, Hermione" said Ron rolling his eyes.

"_As I stated on the first chapters of this section, muggle equipment could easily penetrate such a protection from close distances if attacked repeatedly. If the speed of the attacker defeats the speed of the caster, the spell will become useless."_

"Muggle equipment?" said Ron bewildered

"I get it!" yelled Hermione, making Ron fall down from his seat "The _Protego_ only works against spells, and even so, it can sometimes fail"

"Can you at least let me finish?" sighed Rob

"_Should a wizard be in dire need of protection, my research has thrown one of the most magnificent results. It is an ancient spell named 'Tinechor', from a language long lost. In addition to this, an elemental property can be added to this defense. The next diagram shows how to perform the stated spell. The scrolls of this ancient culture continue to amaze me… I just pray that I have enough time…"_

"He sounds… scared" said Ron confused.

"Well… we might as well try it" said Harry.

Several hours later, the four Gryffindors left the room with a sly smile on their face. Finally something had gone right. Harry smile widened while remembering how the four of them had been able to reach their objective. If the book was right, they would have some advantage against the Valari as well. As Hermione had said, the text seemed real, and the magic in it proved it. But he couldn't help but wonder how the book had ended on Robert's hands. It contained incredibly advanced magic and it probably came from the first wizards. Such an invaluable item was surely the reason for the tragedies throughout his life. Still, he was glad they would be able to use it for good. However he was brought back to earth when they reached the Great hall for dinner.

The four of them quickly took their usual places on the Gryffindor table, but they weren't able to avoid the now accustomed whisperings and stares from the whole student body. Sooner or later it would end, after watching them eat for a few minutes. Harry caught Robert's stare directed towards the Slytherin table and he turned as well.

On the opposite side of the great hall, the eldest Valari was in a heated conversation with none other than Draco Malfoy. But something made Harry frown.

The blonde, pointed face boy looked actually scared. But surely, someone with the background as Malfoy usually bragged he had would probably be on Valari's side. Malfoy then got shoved away by a girl behind him. Harry immediately recognized her as Tanja Varenkov. Her blue eyes glared, defying the older bloke. She stood calm as he looked her up and down in disgust, but quickly turned around and left.

The four Gryffindors looked at each other with a questioning look on their face, which only got worse after Malfoy attempted for a light conversation with Varenkov, but was quickly ignored by the pale looking girl.

"What the hell was that?" muttered Ron in a low voice.

"By the looks of it, Malfoy was trying to defend Varenkov" said Rob calmly. Harry was always surprised at how easily could his friend read people. He was always observing, calculating each move the person made. With just a slight gesture he was able to detect event the smallest of the details and quickly determine the situation. That ability made him proficient in most of the classes, rivaling Hermione in subjects as difficult as potions, not that Snape cared of course.

"The question is… why?" said Hermione.

Harry glanced at Hermione, and he wasn't surprised she had caught up quickly. Her intelligence never ceased to amaze him, as she could solve any problem put in front of her, and her incessant thirst for knowledge was only shadowed by her kindness. As a total opposite, Ron was the jokester of the group. Even in the most boring situations he could crack a joke that would lighten the mood easily, something surely learned from his relentless brothers. However, he possessed natural talent for magic, just as Harry and Robert, only lacking in the dedication that Hermione possessed. But what always astonished Harry, was his cunning ability to form strategies. Whether it was in a wizard chess game or while preparing a prank, his plans would usually be flawless.

Together the four of them formed an amazing group of young wizards, who wouldn't go bragging about their skills as other people in the school. He had never grown so fond of someone in his entire life except for the three people around him. They quickly shrugged their thoughts about their Slytherins counterparts and returned to their dinner. Few people could rejoice in having such a fond friendship. Laughter filled the Gryffindor table with the Weasley twins.

"Hey guys…" said Ron after gulping some pumpkin juice "I have an idea"

Ron smiled at the three of them and Hermione and Rob raised their eyebrow but nodded as a gesture for him to continue. But instead, the redhead stood up quickly after finishing his meal and ran towards the great hall door.

"Let me get something done and I will tell you later!" he hollered while retreating. Robert just raised his shoulders and the three of them returned to their meal.

Hours later, Ron had joined them in the common room with a content smile on his face, leaving again his three friends dumbfounded at his behavior. He just told them that they should wait for the surprise and quietly left for a 'needed long sleep'. After a couple of hours of homework, Hermione yawned after the last few students went to their dormitories and wished good night at Harry and Rob who were just finishing their potions essay; Snape just loathed them. After a few more scribbles and some more yawns, Robert got up followed by Harry. But something caught his attention.

"Oi Rob… does your backpack always glow like that?"

Rob looked down and his eyes widened when he saw a blue light emanating just below him. He quickly took his sack off and gestured Harry to join him, as he took out the white book. The blue glitter increased when he passed a hand through its cover.

"What is happening Rob?"

"The book…" he stammered, looking scared "is calling for us"

And before Harry could react, Robert opened the book and everything went black.

Harry slowly opened his eyes, but couldn't make out anything. He heard a groan next to him and a familiar voice cursing. What the hell had just happened? As he reclined he realized he was sitting on a very cold surface. His eyes weren't registering anything but white and black shades. Then a voice erupted, making them recover from their stupor.

"Welcome, children" a deep, low voice said. It had a certain touch of wisdom in it.

"Where are we?" asked Robert "This place is different"

Harry frowned and realized he didn't have his glasses on. He felt around and found that he was sat on some sort of desk. Finally he felt his hand grasp the round rimmed glasses, and put them on, letting out a gasp as his sight returned.

They were sat in the middle of a gigantic hall that stretched into nothingness. He glanced upwards but he was met by darkness that filled the entire ceiling. Turning his sight to the scene in front of him, he realized that a single man stood in front of them, holding a shimmering white staff with a marvelous blue diamond on top of it. The man, clad in a marvelous white linen cloak, observed the two boys curiously, examining them up and down.

"What do you want this time?" snarled Robert.

Harry opened his eyes wide. This was what Robert had told him that happened the first time he opened the book. He remembered, in the brink of terror, that after having been abducted by the book, the orphanage where he lived was attacked. The man in the middle, who was holding a white and silver staff was the first to speak.

"The two of you have been chosen" he stated clearly

Harry frowned at this, but he couldn't help but to be nervous. What the hell was happening here? Who was this person?

"Unfortunately, things have been set in motion much before you two were born, and your fate has been sealed. Even so, the outcome will depend on you and only on you. But worry not… you shall not be alone"

Harry couldn't understand anything that the man was telling. Robert had a similar reaction but didn't let it show up. But Harry knew all too well that Rob wasn't buying his speech.

"Young one" said the old man, gesturing towards Harry. He had an even deeper voice now but somehow it appeared to be gentle as ever "You will be granted with a gift, a gift of knowledge. Just as your companion before you. There is no thing as valuable as this, and in time you will learn how to use it."

With that, the man vanished in a blur of white sand taken away by the wind. Not a second later, the man appeared in front of Harry in the same manner and put his hands next to his head. Harry looked nervously from the man to Robert, but he only gave a reassuring nod.

"_Â__min leithe fealle, alstald nim_'_Ohtar"_

A warmth sensation started building up from the place where the man held his hands. It spread throughout his entire body, tingling as it coursed through his veins. But all of a sudden, the feeling changed. His whole body started burning and he lost the balance on his legs. Kneeling on the ground, Harry put his own hands to his head, as it was burning as much as his body. The man watched carefully without any sound and Robert looked down. A red vortex of energy formed around Harry and after a few seconds, the pain subdued. He gasped, and took deep breaths and for a couple minutes he remained on the ground.

"Are you ok, Harry?" said Dumbledore, helping him get up. He then saw Robert face the man angrily.

"Why are you doing this to us?" he demanded. "And don't even think of sending us away… you have to explain!"

"All in time…" the man in the middle said, before striking his staff to the ground.

Both Harry and Robert leapt up, trying to make out their surroundings. Harry relaxed when he noticed they were in the Gryffindor tower. The red walls were barely lighted by the moonlight entering through the windows. Robert stood, leaning on an armchair and picked the book up. His face showed regret. Harry frowned at this and followed him to the dormitory. He was about to ask Rob something, but he beat him to it.

"Yes, it was real" he said quickly opening and closing the book "I'm sorry I dragged you into this"

"Nonsense, mate" said Harry reassuringly. It hadn't been that bad, had it? An idea came to his mind and he opened his eyes wide.

"Rob can I see the book?"

His friend was surprised by Harry's request, but he only raised an eyebrow as he lent him the book. He glanced at the cover and smirked, which only made Robert more confused. Then something hit him.

"You can read it" said Robert.

It was more a statement than a question, but he was right. The first thing he noted was the cover of the book, where the title was engraved.

"Heritage of Myrddin… who is Myrdinn?" he asked Robert.

"I think… it's another name for Merlin"

"That means this is… hell… it's like the notes from the most powerful wizard from all times. You think that man could be…." Harry asked Rob apprehensively

"I don't know… Merlin lived more than a thousand years ago, but who knows…" said Rob raising his shoulders.

Amazed, Harry started changing pages, with an exited look on his face. After a couple of hours, they decided it should be better to give it a rest, at least for the night. As Harry turned one last page, something caught his attention and changed the page back.

"_The Sorcerer's Stone"_ said Harry out loud.

Robert, who had already gotten up to stretch, immediately sat down and put the book between the two of them. Both boys read hastily the chapter and finally found out what they had been looking for the entire term. Nicolas Flamel.

"YOU DIDN'T!" the voice of an angry girl echoed through the entire common room. Hermione's face was red to the point of burning, and two boys in front of her looked down, scared to death. The few people who got up early quickly escaped, just in case the wrath of the girl reached them. She paced in front of them angrily and before they could take a single step to escape their punishment, she pointed two armchairs for them to sit down. She then plopped herself on an armchair with a look of disgust and disappointment.

"Why didn't you wait for me" she said sadly. Harry wanted to laugh of her childish attitude, but he knew better than joke with Hermione during this situations.

"Hermione…" managed to let out Robert but he was smacked down by a giant book launched at him by the angered girl. Harry looked at her and she pointed her wand at another, bigger book, daring him to speak.

"Hey good morning to you all" said a voice behind them "Glad to see you're back to your usual self sweetie"

Oh… Ron didn't know what he had gotten himself into. Before he could register what had happened, three of the giant volumes Hermione had been reserving for Harry and Rob, flew rapidly towards Ron, hitting him at the same time. With a thud, he landed on the ground groaning.

"Why…."

Taking this as an advantage, Harry attempted to explain what had happened to the infuriated girl.

"Listen Hermione, I know how much you wanted to be there last night…"

"Oh no… you really don't know…" said Hermione crossing her arms. Nevertheless, she watched around to avoid being heard by other students before continuing her speech "you can't understand how important this is for me, you can't begin to grasp the feeling, I would do anything"

"Even watching the people you loved die?" said Rob bluntly.

Hermione went silent and looked down. Harry looked at Rob and they both let a deep sigh. Ron got up from the ground and put an arm on Hermione. They had already told him the story and he had taken it rather well.

"Listen Hermione, we don't really understand what's the matter with the book. For some strange reasons, these things keep following us. We didn't ask for it, it just happened"

"Who knows" said Rob getting up from his chair. He grabbed the book from his backpack and put it in front of Hermione.

"Maybe you'll be the next one" he said before winking at her and she smiled widely as an answer.

"Now in a happier note…" began Ron "Hermione, Rob, Harry, you have been cordially invited to spend Christmas break at my house"

His three friends gaped at him and looked at each other dumbfounded. Ron scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. Apparently he had been expecting another kind of answer. Harry was the first one shook his head.

"But… what… why?" asked Harry stupidly.

"Well I thought that, with everyone leaving and all that, it would be cool if we could spend this time together, since well you know Harry… and… Rob"

No words were needed to express what he meant. With most of the students leaving for a few weeks to celebrate the Holidays, Harry and Rob would probably be left all alone. Maybe a change of scenery would help them.

"Well I could ask my parents…" said Hermione "but I doubt they'll let me go to someone's house in my first term."

"It's okay Hermione" said Ron as he patted her on the shoulder "At least we will be free of doing homework"

And yet another book flew to Ron's head, but this time he gallantly dodged it.

"Ron, is it all right if I invite _pops_ for Christmas Dinner?" Rob asked apprehensively "I know he is very busy and all, but I still want to spend my first Christmas with him… but I don't want to miss your invitation for anything on the world either so…"

Of course Dumbledore wouldn't be much around during holidays. Apart from Headmaster at Hogwarts, being the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards,. Not that he understood what that meant.

"Cheer up man, of course you can…" said Ron smiling "The more the merrier. So, have you told Hermione here about Nicolas Flamel"

"What? What about him" asked Hermione frowning again at Rob and Harry, she had wanted to be the first on to find about Dumbledore's colleague. But before she could plan on something evil to do to them, they had sprinted away through the Fat lady's portrait.

"Oh no… you won't escape" said Hermione. Ron, who had watched the entire scene, beat Hermione and ran after them after watching the scared faces of his two friends.

The rest of the classes went by quickly, without anything eventful. Before they knew it, they were already up on the carriages to leave for Hogsmeade station. They had packed just few stuff for the break, and watched as the Hogwarts castle went away in the distance.

"It is an honor to have Robert Dumbledore and Harry Potter join us" joked Fred, who had got on the carriage with them, along with his twin brother.

"I can just see the face of Ginny when you two appear at our doorstep" said George "she's going to have a seizure"

Hermione frowned and she notice that Harry had blushed a little, but quickly hid it. She looked from George to Ron and Fred. Fred watched her and laughed heartily at her incredulous look and took pity on her.

"Ginny is our beloved little sister, Hermione" said Fred smiling widely.

"Who just happens to have a gigantic crush on Harry" added George "And of course, Dumbledore is not a common name either"

"Where's Percy?" asked Ron

"He decided to go in the _prefects _carriage" said Fred with a slightly disgusted tone "I just hope none of you turn out like him"

Robert merely shrugged and smiled lightly. He was staring at Hogwarts longingly, and his friends knew not to interrupt and left him to his thoughts. But without any warning stretched his hand and Halion swooped into the carriage.

"Bloody bird! I almost shit my pants" yelled Fred.

The majestic bird had already grown several inches during the semester. It was not any ordinary falcon. In his eyes, Robert could see that the beast could understand every single thought. Curiously, he wondered if the bird had found him, instead of the other way around.

"He's not any bird, Fred" said Rob plainly "I wouldn't advice to hurt his feelings"

The bird looked casually at Fred, who in turn, presented him with a few candy that he had been saving. Halion took them graciously and began licking them from his hand. After a couple minutes from everyone watching him finishing the sweets, Robert called him and his own eyes flickered yellow. Only Harry noticed this, and he wondered if Rob actually had some sort of communication with Halion.

"Stay safe" he muttered as the bird went out the window.

After a few minutes they arrived at the station and got up the Hogwarts Express. The twins separated from them, looking for some of their friends. Harry followed his three friends into the only free cabin. Hermione closed the door behind her and finally questioned them about Nicolas Flamel. When they told her about the Sorcerer's stone, her smile grew wide.

"How could I be so stupid, I had read it a while ago" she said taking out a gigantic book from the library "Madame Pince allowed me to bring it up with me but I didn't think it would actually help."

"And you carry that along with you?" asked Ron with a scared look on his face "Remind me never to be on your wrong side again, ever."

Rob and Harry laughed at him, but Hermione merely continued reading.

"Aha! I've found it. It turns out that Flamel had already managed to produce the Sorcerer's stone in the early 1400's, but his work with Dumbledore threw yet another use for the magic mineral. It doesn't say what, though."

"Well, it's obvious why someone would want to steal it" said Ron rolling his eyes and leaning back to his seat "Who wouldn't want to become reach and live forever?"

"Money isn't everything, you know?" said Harry

"There are other riches, far more valuable than money" said Rob, and the three of them watched him confused at his sudden 'refined' speech.

"What? That's what _pops_ says" he argued, making his three of friends laugh at him.

The remainder of the trip went calm, with Ron and Harry playing exploding snap, and Rob translating some of the books text. Hermione was quickly catching up with the spells and was eager to try them. A few hours later they arrived at King Cross's station. Hermione's smile faded, since her parent's hadn't allowed her to stay for Christmas, because they were visiting some ruddy old relatives in France. Harry suddenly felt nervous and he could see Robert was too, but they were shoved throughout the train by Ron who assured them it was no big deal. Outside the windows, they could see a red haired couple, waiting for them.

"Don't worry Hermione, we will miss you too" said Ron before the brown haired girl could open her mouth. She smiled softly and hugged the three boys.

"Promise me you'll write" she said while walking away towards the platform's exit.

"We will!"

The girl finally disappeared throughout the enchanted archway, and the three boys took their stuff and approached the red haired couple who were already catching up with the two twins. Harry had already met Ron's mother in the first day at the station, a kind looking woman, always wearing a soft smile.

"Ronald! There you are sweetheart, Arthur, Ron's here"

Mr. Weasley was a tall, bald man, just as humble as his wife, and at the moment he was amused hearing one of the many stories of the twins. Next to them Percy stood waiting bitterly, trying to shine his prefect badge that somehow had caught a stain that wouldn't go away. His eyes widened when they met his son and the two dark haired boys walking with him and his gaze wandered up and down Harry, until they found his bolt shaped scar.

"Merlin's beard! Harry Potter!" he exclaimed, reaching with both hands to greet the boy who lived. "It's an honor"

"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Weasley" said Harry.

"Hi dad, I'm fine by the way, don't worry about me" said Ron amusedly.

"Oh, hi Ron, how's school going" he said absent mindedly, putting and arm around his youngest son.

"So… Harry" began Mr. Weasley, but was quickly cut off by Ron's mother.

"Don't interrogate him Arthur, he has just gotten here" said Mrs. Weasley giving the unsuspecting boy a fierce hug "Never mind him, dear, he has been blabbering non stop since he found out you were coming"

"But Molly…" said Mr. Weasley.

"No buts dear"

Harry smiled at the disappointed face Mr. Weasley had, reminding him very much of Ron. He then looked at Rob who was still very nervous looking at both adult wizards. Mr. Weasley felt his stare and looked at the other boy and his expression changed to surprise once again.

"Oh my, You must be Dumbledore right?" said the elder Wealsey astonished. He looked like a little boy who has just earned some candy.

"It's a pleasure sir, ma'am" he said extending his hand.

"The pleasure is all mine. Never had I thought that I will meet Albus Dumbledore's grandson" said Mr. Weasley shaking his hand eagerly.

"Rob, isn't it?" said Mrs Weasley, with another crushing hug "Ron has told us much of you too. We're very glad you accepted our invitation"

"Nonsense ma'am, I'm the one who should be thanking you to have me at your house"

"Oh, so noble Mr. Dumbledore" said Fred, clutching his heart and holding the back of his hand to his forehead.

"He's so… charming" whispered George following his brother, and both of them sighed longingly.

"Oh leave him alone, Fred, George" said Mrs. Weasley, hitting them playfully on their arms "You should learn some manners from Harry and Robert"

With the help of Mr. Weasley and the twins, the boys quickly got their trunks in a magic enhanced car. Rob was mesmerized by the spacious vehicle, which could fit him, the five Weasleys, and Harry without any problems. He had asked a personal favor to a colleague at the ministry. The five boys spent the few hours ride telling recounting every event with detail about the school.

The burrow, as the Weasleys affectionately named their house, was a rickety house made out of stone.. Harry could see how the hens strolled merrily along the front garden, and in the back was a beautiful garden surrounded by a white wood fence, next to a small pond. The most impressive detail of their house was the several rooms attached, which seemed to be supported as if by magic.

The scenery was indescribable. From the small hill where the burrow stood, one would think that the Weasley family was the luckiest in the world, having the perfect sight of the English countryside just outside their backyard. Both Harry and Rob were marveled, and smiled widely. Although the Weasleys weren't really the richest of the wizarding families, they managed to lead the happiest of the lives with what they had. Harry secretly wished he could trade every last Galleon on his vault for a life in a place like that.

"Come on, boys, get your things and dinner will be ready in no time" said Mrs. Weasley, taking her purse and entering the house.

"So what do you think" said Ron, after the twins had entered followed closely by Percy, leaving them alone in the front yard. "I know it's not very n…"

"It's perfect" said the two boys at the same time. Ron's smiled and put an arm around Harry's shoulder, as Rob gazed in to the distance, taking in the amazing landscape that surrounded the burrow.

"Now… don't be scared if you hear something odd during the night, it's probably the ghoul messing with the pipes"

"A ghoul?" asked Harry "_cool_, can I borrow it? Maybe it could freak out my cousin enough for him to leave me alone… or die from heart attack"

"Nah I think the ghoul will probably die again when he looked at Dudley" said Rob, finally catching up with them. The three boys entered and wandered to the living room. It was cozy but a bit tattered radiating a homelike touch that immediately made them feel comfortable. The twins took their trunks to Ron's room and when they returned, another red haired bloke followed them closely. He presented himself as Charlie, one of Ron's eldest brother, who was currently working with dragons in Rumania.

"Glad to know Gryffindor has a good seeker after me! " joked Charlie in a deep voice, after Harry had told them the story of him becoming the youngest seeker of the Quidditch team.

"Don't tell me, Wood is going crazy, throwing a thousand practices per week. Am I right?"

The rest of them looked at Harry and laughed loudly at his face that had 'You have no idea' written all over. It was then that they heard a couple of steps run up the stairs hastily.

"What was that?" asked Rob confused "Weren't you all red heads? I thought I just saw a blonde girl ran over the stairs right now"

Ron and Harry looked confused at the older Weasley and the twins who were just as confused, but they shrugged it off.

"Oh don't mind that, they will come down later" said Charlie.

"Whose they" asked Ron "Oh… Ginny invited a friend huh?"

Harry and Rob weren't paying any attention, and they had started a wizard's chess game. Ron quickly joined and helped both of them, but only managing to make the game longer. After a while, Mrs. Weasley announced the dinner was ready. Rob and Harry were marveled by the kitchen. Although it was messy, one could see it was full of life giving them a warming sensation inside them. Several cauldrons were laid on the counter, with the spoons stirring their contents in their own, knives slicing vegetables and dishes washing themselves. Harry wondered if Ron's mother would have been able to take care of him and his siblings if it wasn't for magic, but he knew someone like her would work tirelessly to attend every single one of them.

"Ginny" called Mrs Weasley "dinner's ready, come down"

Two pairs of steps were heard coming down the staircase as Harry, Ron and Rob, along with the twins and Charlie, took their sit on a long brown, wooden table. An audible gasp came from behind the six men and they slowly turned. A red haired girl was gaping and her eyes were opened widely. She blushed profusely and took some steps towards the table, taking a glance from Harry, but she rushed quickly behind her mother without looking again. Behind her the blonde girl walked slowly, her clear green eyes glittering had a similar expression of surprise but she only smiled widely.

"Hi" the girl said with a dreamy voice "I'm Luna, Luna Lovegood"

The two girls slowly took seat next to Charlie, who smiled nicely at his little sister and messed her hair. Typical ten year olds, they were still wearing their night clothes after having a slumber party. Harry noticed the red head occasionally throwing glances at him and he chuckled inwardly. He couldn't believe how someone could be so nervous around him. Robert had of course noticed as well the odd behavior and looked at Ron who was immersed with Charlie in a Quidditch conversation, oblivious of the situation.

Harry observed curiously Robert, who was surveying the whole scene as well. His eyes were fixed at a most interesting clock, with nine hands. Surprisingly they were not pointing to any numbers. Instead they were pointing to various signs on the edge, describing several situations, such as 'At Home', 'Traveling' and even 'In Mortal Peril'.

"Should come in handy, eh mate?" Harry joked.

"Unless you don't want to be found" replied Robert.

His eyes then darted elsewhere. Robert then felt a stare piercing him, and searched for the source of his uneasiness. The blonde girl was thoroughly observing him not even caring that he had noticed. It was the first time he had actually taken a good look at her. She had long curly hair that fell down her back; crystal clear green eyes that almost made him flinch. Never had he seen such a powerful stare, one that made him tremble. But how could a young, lovely girl have this effect in him?

"You are sad" the girl stated.

The whole table fell silent at the sudden comment. Robert frowned, wondering how she could have known that. He had worked very hard creating that wall around his hearth preventing everyone from noticing how he was really feeling. What really troubled him was that he couldn't read her. He had not a single clue of what was she thinking. He had instantly analyzed every detail of everyone around him and yet he couldn't understand the sly smile that the girl was showing him. His thoughts, however, were utterly interrupted by Mrs. Weasley.

"Dinner's ready" she said, sending a couple plates floating to each one. "Oh, Ginny, Luna, have you met Harry and Robert here? They have just got from Hogwarts with Ron"

The little red headed girl blushed brightly and hid her face behind her hands. Luna was not so easily surprised and sent them both her custom smile while inclining her head sideways.

"Oh, well, Luna, this are Harry Potter and Robert Dumbledore" she said.


	10. The Enlightened

**A**/N:A warning before you read. If you are uncomfortable with severe violence do not read this story. 

Everything from HP belongs to JKR.

**Chapter 10: The Enlightened**

"Are you sure of this?" asked Ron anxiously.

Five figures walked slowly by the edge of the forest, trying to avoid getting caught by unwanted stares from the townsfolk. Not that any muggles could see them while under the invisibility cloak. The unexpected present which arrived in Christmas had turned to be most useful, specially to avoid falling victims of the ruthless Weasley twins.

"Why are you asking me if I'm sure?! You were the one that suggested this!" muttered Harry.

Rob just shook his head and looked around for any prying eyes that could be looking in their direction. Behind the three boys, Ginny and Luna whispered softly and giggled.

"It's just… I feel something is going to go bad…"

"Yea you'll probably crap yourself if you don't stop worrying…" said Rob, making both girls giggle louder.

"Shut up you two we are almost there…" whispered Harry furiously.

"I wonder why we are whispering" said Luna casually

"I know its fun, but it's not like anyone will hear us…"

_The girl's got a point _thought Harry and he saw Rob roll his eyes.

The trail they took deviated from the edge of the forest directly to the town's main plaza through one of the smaller streets. It was one of the paths that the twins would take in their usual escapades. The cloak flapped with the air and without hesitation they hid in a small alley and in a swift movement, five children appeared apparently out of nowhere.

"Let's go" said Ron as Harry put the cloak away and they hid their wands.

"Fred said the store would be just in that corner near the plaza" he added pointing to a small store.

The town was full of life, reminding them somehow of Diagon Alley. Children were running carelessly all around, followed by their concerned parents trying to keep pace; cheerful music was played by a local band, stalls scattered on every spot, selling all kinds of stuff, never ceasing to amaze the group of young wizards, albeit it was only muggle merchandise. Ron was especially fascinated when he saw a TV on a particular store, and asked how the owner had acquired such a _cool_ device.

"Never mind him" said Ginny scowling "He's got my dad's interest in muggle stuff. Let's just hope he doesn't get as… mad about these things like him."

"What's so bad about muggle stuff" asked Rob. Ginny had not been as uncomfortable with the Headmaster's grandson as she had been with the boy-who-lived. But after a few days, his usual manner of speaking and his continuous daydreaming troubled her. Sometimes she and Luna would watch him wake up in the middle of a conversation just to stare out to the woods, watching particularly nothing. He always looked sad. So in a silent agreement, the two of them had been trying to cheer him up, but it had proven quite an ordeal.

"Well…" Ginny stuttered "there's nothing bad with muggle stuff it's just how much they…. Love those things. I thought that with all the magic stuff there is, a wizard would be more interested in those things instead of you know… televisions?"

"Actually" said Harry frowning "muggles also have _very_ cool stuff"

"Oh really?" asked Luna merrily "like what?"

"er…"

"TV for starters" said Rob. They had started walking around the plaza looking at all the 'odd' things that the muggle sold. "They have portable music, and I haven't heard about that in Hogwarts. What else... let's see… movie theaters? I think Ron didn't know about those when I asked…"

"Oh yeah" said Ron finally snapping back from his trance "you told me about that a while ago"

"What's a movie theater?" asked Ginny

"It's like a TV" said Harry looking for the right words to explain it to the two witches "but _huge_. You cango see movies and eat popcorn and candy and stuff like that"

"What are the movies about?"

_These girls never stop asking! _Though Harry

"Well they can be about anything" said Harry "... they usually tell stories, like the ones from the book, only with real persons or animations"

"Look!" said Ginny interrupting "a candy store, let's go!"

_She wasn't even listening…_

"She's not here yet…" said Ron gazing into the crowd

"Be patient Ron" said Robert.

Harry snickered and followed the redhead to a candy store. The initial shyness had already banished from the youngest Weasley. She could now actually hold a small conversation with the boy who lived without tripping or breaking something. _Boy who lived_. He hated the name that the wizarding community had given him. He wanted to prove he could do something, not earn the prestige by having done nothing. Because he knew inside him that his family had sacrificed and in return he had lived. He was proud of his family of course, but he couldn't help it but wishing they were with him right now. Shopping candy.

"Chocolate?" asked Ginny smiling. Harry looked at the dark candy bar and raised an eyebrow.

"Come on it will cheer you up"

Lately it seemed like everyone could catch on every time he thought about his family, but he shrugged it off and took the candy bar.

"How much it's for two of these" asked Harry to the shop owner.

"Harry you don't have to get me one" said Ginny, but the dark haired boy had already taken out the muggle money.

"Don't worry" he said plainly.

On the other side of the plaza, Rob and Luna sat on a bench watching amusedly as Ron paced desperately. He was trying to make it look as if he was angry but Rob knew better. And by her quiet giggle, Luna also knew he wasn't really mad at Hermione. Or maybe it was just the face he was making, he looked quite hilarious.

She had sent a letter yesterday telling them that his parents had accepted to take her to the quiet town near Ron's house to visit her friends. That was the only way that Mrs. Weasley had accepted to let them go. Otherwise, she would have never let the five children go to the town on their own.

"Stop mate, you'll make a hole on the ground if you keep pacing" said Rob

"She said at noon" was the only thing he answered. Finally, Luna took pity and forced him to sit down on the bench. By the time Harry and Ginny came back, Hermione was yet to make her appearance.

"She's late" said Ron again.

"How many times has he said that?" asked a voice behind them.

With her arms crossed, Hermione shook her head, but smiled at his three friends. The bushy haired girl was being escorted by a tall man, with neatly combed brown haired who had his arm locked with a slender, bushy haired woman. He looked like an older version of Hermione, but without the slightly bucked teeth, which were probably inheritance from his father side. Anxiously, she cleared her throat, and Ron awoke from the sudden stupor that overtook him.

"Oh right" he said scratching the back of his head.

_He's nervous!_ Thought Harry

"er… Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger…" he said stuttering "…Hermione, this is Ginny Weasley, my sister, Harry Potter, Robert Dumbledore and Luna Lovegood. I'm Ron, Ron Weasley" he added offering his hand.

"I have heard a lot of you guys" he said in a polite voice and shook Ron's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet Hermione's friends. I have heard much about you three, you have my gratitude for saving my daughter."

"It was nothing" said Harry as Mr. Granger greeted the rest of them.

"I don't think that taking a troll it's something to take lightly" said Mrs. Granger smiling "We are in debt with you"

"Well she can make up by helping us with homework" said Ron smirking. Hermione then pointed at her bag and his eyes grew wide. He had not forgotten the last time that the girl tossed one of her gigantic books at him. Everyone laughed at his panicked look and he joined afterwards.

_This is nice _thought Harry _having friends, laughing with them. If only the Dursleys could see me… they would have a heart attack._

"Well we will leave you guys to catch up" stated Mr. Granger "we just saw the local bookstore on our way. Hermione don't you go wandering around okay?"

The bushy haired girl nodded and smiled as her parents stepped into the crowd. She quickly told them about France and all the magic places she had visited. Even being muggleborn didn't stop here to find her way into some magical museum attached to the _Louvre_ where a lot of famous artwork was kept in tight security. Of course she skipped telling them about the visit to her relatives that had turned out to be pretty boring, as she had predicted.

"And how is it going with the book?" asked Hermione.

"Well as far as we have seen" said Robert "There are a lot of branches in magic. I don't think anyone can ever read this book completely. Not without serious brain damage for that matter"

"So we were thinking that each one of us should take on a few branches instead of all of them" said Harry. He then looked at the puzzled look from Luna and Ginny and slapped himself mentally.

_Great._

"What book are you talking about" said Ginny. By the looks of it, she found surprising that Ron was even interested in being near a book.

"I don't think we were supposed to hear that" said Luna

Hermione shook her head once again and rolled her eyes.

"Never mind" she said "We should tell them… they could even help when they enter Hogwarts. And about that idea of yours, I agree. For what I have seen, it has a lot of material to cover"

"You mean" said Ginny "that HE is actually studying, on his own free will?!" she said exasperatedly pointing at his brother.

"Actually my dear sister, I am" he said

"Anyways" interrupted Hermione "The first thing we all need to find in the book it's a way to break the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. It's the only way we can practice outside school. Otherwise we can get expelled."

"I suppose you're right, we could start looking when we get to Ron's house" said Harry "Hermione is there a way to find a certain word or topic in the book without having to look in every page?"

A gigantic smile spread on Hermione's face, the type of smile when she got something right or when a teacher praised her work.

"Actually I have found a spell that can single out a word or phrase within a book. I have yet to try it but the specifications seem quite simple. It's called _Quaero libri_"

"Hermione" said Ron raising an eyebrow "Just what level is that spell?"

"OWL" she stated plainly

"No way…" said Ginny "you guys are trying to do OWL level spells. Even Percy had trouble with those. And there is also the fact that the owls are taken on FIFTH year. And you are even talking about breaking the Underage magic decree, what's happening?"

"You should see what she's capable of" said Ron making Hermione blush and look at the ground.

"Anyways" interrupted Ginny "I can't believe you are trying to do magic outside school! Breaking laws and stuff! What's going on Ron? You could end up in Azkaban or something"

"We will tell about that when you enter Hogwarts okay?" he said concerned "You will understand when you face the Valari"

Robert had been absent during the whole conversation, barely hearing what they were saying. He seemed to be in deep concentration, looking at the surroundings anxiously. Harry had noticed his strange behavior but what startled him the most was his eyes. They had changed.

A chill coursed through Rob's spine. He had had this feeling before and he did not like it one bit.

_Something is wrong he_ thought.

Unconsciously he reached for the magic holster that Dumbledore had given him for Christmas. It was specially made for his wand and it had a permanent disillusionment charm. A cold wind blew from the south and the six wizards shuddered.

"Hermione" said Rob monotonically "get your parents"

The reaction was instant when she saw his eyes. Instead of the clear light blue she was used to, they had turn darker, almost black as night. But still, the pupil contrasted with the iris, which had drastically changed into a long thin stripe, much like a snake's. Without hesitation she gave Ron her bag and ran into the bookstore.

"What's happening?" said Ginny scared "Ron, Harry, Rob, is everything all right?"

"No it isn't" stated Luna "His eyes, they have changed, look"

"Wands out" said Harry.

The scar on his head started aching, but not in the same way as it had happened before. Somehow he knew that something was wrong too. His gaze was pulled unwillingly to the street leading to the south, from where the wind had started. He clenched his teeth and grasped his wand.

"We have to get out of here, fast" said Harry "I think… I think someone's coming"

"Or something" said Rob "Maybe Hermione knows some way to dissapparate us"

"The cloak Harry" said Ron who had his wand in a tight grip

He took out the invisibility cloak in a blink of an eye and covered the two girls. Hermione ran back followed by her parents who were breathing harshly from running. She too had her wand out and reached to Ron for her bag. Instinctively, Ron pulled the cloak and told the Grangers to get inside. They gasped when suddenly the two frightened little girls appeared out of thin air. They had yet to get used to the wizarding world.

"Hermione" pleaded Ron "we need a way to get out of here fast"

She pulled out one of the biggest books they had ever seen. It was actually too big for the bag, which was probably under an enlarging charm. The speed in which she was reading was amazing, with just a glance, she appeared to have read a whole page and she shifter through the book in a startling pace. But it wasn't enough.

"Merlin's beard" Ginny's voice was heard from under the cloak "Hermione that's a NEWT level book?"

"Shut it Ginny" said Ron. His tone was so serious that everyone went silent.

The clear sky was suddenly covered with dark clouds, and the whole town started whispering. The change had gone so fast that it would have been obvious even for muggles. A single lighting fell in the distance, its direction the same one from the cold wind.

"I told you that something bad was going to happen" said Ron "we should cover them first., Rob, I don't think we are going to be able to be of any use, even with what we have been practicing"

"Let's just hope I'm wrong" said Rob

"Unfortunately you aren't Rob" said Harry disgustedly, somehow the scar was forcing him to look down the southern street "I feel it too"

"Why don't we leave to your house Ron?" said Mr. Granger "Isn't it safer with your parents?"

"I don't think we can outrun them…" said Harry abashed.

An idea popped in Harry's mind.

_The Underage decree!_

Of course it should work. The only thing they should do was to do magic. The ministry would detect if suddenly four underage wizards started casting shields and stunners, and would probably send Aurors and the Magic Law Enforcement due to the location and the witnesses. Merlin knew they were surrounded by dozens of muggles, and if his feeling was truthful, there would be collateral damage. A lot of damage.

"We need to do magic" said Harry

"And you say I'm always stating the obvious" snickered Ron.

"No you git" said Harry exasperated "If we start sending shields and stunners, the Aurors will probably come! It's full of muggles here, don't you see?"

"We just need to hold them off" said Rob plainly catching up quickly.

"Them?" said Mrs. Granger "Who's them?"

"How do you know it's them…" asked Ginny

"Because they are right in front of us" stated Luna from under the cloak

Two cloaked men stood in the middle of the main street. Harry had seen them appear out of a trail of smoke. He had been told by Rob, who had apparated with his grandfather, that the apparition had a single defect and that was the cracking sound it made. But _that_ had been different. The two assailants had not made a single sound. The one on the right had already his wand out. The cloak shielded their faces, most probably by magic. But what startled him the most was that the person next to him did not have a wand, but a staff. According to what Hermione had said, Wizards did not use staves. Supposedly the using of such tool was a rumor spread within muggle legends and stories. Even so he had seen the man in Rob's book use one, but he didn't know if that was true or if it was an illusion of some sort.

"This will not be like the Valari" said Harry "Hermione how is it going?"

"I'm getting there" said Hermione without looking up.

Ron was about to say something, but he kept it to himself. He probably knew that he shouldn't be interrupting Hermione. Maybe if they lived through this he would rub off on her that she was wrong about the staves.

"Can you control your eyes Rob?" he asked instead.

A simple _No_ was his answer.

"Cast shields" said Harry "Hermione get behind one of us, Ginny and everyone else too."

Some muggles had already caught on that something was out of place. Two children and a couple of adults had disappeared in front of their eyes and two cloaked men were in the town's entrance, looking menacing. A few muggles had rushed inside their houses but some of them stayed outside wondering what was happening. The two dark wizards began walking towards the plaza, not caring about the stares from the townsfolk. Harry put his wand in front of him in a vertical position and his left hand behind it horizontally, forming a cross with his hands. He was then followed by his friends next to him. Only Robert was different, being that he was left handed. The three of them spoke at the same time.

"_Tinechor"_

A soft hum echoed on the plaza and three adult sized disks emerged in front of the three boys. During their practices they had noticed each one of them had a different energy signature and they had been working with Hermione to change it so they wouldn't be identified. But it had proven to be to draining and in difficult circumstances they would have no choice but to leave it as it was. Their position, according to the book, maximized the effect of the shield and it helped to maintain them longer. Harry's was a vibrant red while Ron's was a shining yellow, almost golden and in Robert's case it was a pure clear blue. Luckily most of the muggle townsfolk was looking at the cloaked men and did not pay attention to the shields they had casted with their backs turned to them.

_It's done. The ministry should not be long_ thought Harry.

Hermione then pointed to her throat after reading a particular page.

"_Sonorus"_

Her voice then increased what seemed like a hundred times, echoed throughout the town. The three wizards casting the shields looked surprised but relaxed quickly. It was not unusual for Hermione to suddenly come out with cool spells out of nowhere.

"EVERYONE GO HOME" she screamed into the distance "THESE MEN ARE DANGEROUS GO HOME!"

Some of the townsfolk turned around and were confused when they saw the three energy disks suddenly floating in the middle of the street. Even a little girl that suddenly had a voice louder than a rock concert and yet did not have a speaker anywhere near here of a microphone of some sort for that matter.

"_Quietus"_ she said pointing at her throat "I just hope they listen"

A muggle _policeman_ approached the two cloaked men. From the distance it appeared he was just about to take out his gun. The one with the staff noticed and merely looked at the man, while making his way towards them.

"Ginny, Luna" said Rob looking abashed, and with a deep sigh he looked behind for a brief moment "Mr. and Mrs. Granger… don't look, it will be… horrible"

The way that the boy spoke made a chill creep up through his spine. Erick Granger was not a man easily frightened, even if his appearance didn't prove it. But when his eyes met the face of the young wizard, he froze. This was not some murderer with a gun, no thug with a knife. It was an actual _dark wizard_ like the ones from books and movies. He looked to his wife and she was equally scared. The two girls next to them could not be older than ten. Gathering all the courage he could he spoke softly to both of them.

"Girls, you've heard him, don't look come behind us and close your eyes. Help is on the way, everything is going to be ok"

Ginny had started weeping and she suddenly grabbed his hand and Luna took Mrs. Granger's. She too spoke softly to the little blonde girl reassuring they wouldn't let anything happen to them. But He wasn't sure now.

The dark blue eyed boy turned around to face the terror ahead. It seemed like the policeman had begun trying to stop the two men. He glanced at Ron and Harry and then to Hermione who had taken shelter behind Ron and was rapidly changing between pages. She had even levitated the book and shifted the pages with her wand.

"Hermione" said Harry "Quaero" he stated simply.

"Of course" she said exasperatedly.

"_Quaero libri transportation"_

The book shifted pages on their own and suddenly stopped at a particular page. Hermione didn't hesitate and began reading at a slower rate, probably concentrating more on what was written rather than finding key words or titles. Rob glanced at his two friends next to him. Harry was looking all right, but he couldn't hide how scared he was. But Ron was looking directly at the scene ahead, where the dark cloaked man demanded the muggles to get out of their way, and he had began trembling.

"Ron, it's okay if you don't want to look" said Robert trying to comfort him "Just try to keep the shield up, and I won't mind if you want to go into the cloak, just stay behind us. You too Harry"

"Don't try to be a hero" said Ron relaxing a bit "We all are in this now, and I told mum I will take care of Ginny and that's what I will do"

Ginny had never heard his brother speak like that about her. She couldn't believe that the git of his brother had become so… serious. It only meant that the two men ahead were really dangerous. She tried to gaze towards the street but Mr. Granger didn't let her.

"Don't look" he whispered.

"Last chance to close your eyes" said Rob calmly when three policemen pointed their guns at the two men "It will not be nice…"

The cloaked man raised his free hand, not even moving the staff he carried.

_Here goes nothing_ though Harry

Adrenaline rushed throughout his body and another chill overtook him. This time it was so bad that he almost lost control of the shield. Ron on his side had also begun trembling, but he put a hand on his shoulder and he calmed down a bit and Rob seemed more in control. He turned his gaze again to the end of the street, but he would have never been prepared for what he saw.

Without speaking a single word, an invisible force took the guns from the three unsuspecting police officers. The second man then raised his black wand and in a swift horizontal movement three dark greenish spells hit each one of the muggles. He remembered seeing a bright green curse during his nightmares, when Voldemort killed his family. But these curses where nothing alike. He had never believed that something would be as bad as the killing curse but he was proved wrong.

The three policemen started choking, and the rest of the townsfolk began running. With their hands on their throats, they gasped, pleading due to the sudden loss of air. Screams echoed throughout the town as men, women and child alike attempted to hide from the attackers. Then… it happened and his world froze. He could feel his heart thumping madly on his chest and the air seemed to have disappeared from his lungs.

A deafening shriek from a woman woke him up. The heads of the three men exploded. Like balloons, with a loud _pop_, and the surroundings were filled with blood and brain matter from the three muggles, and more of it spluttered out from their now severed necks, leaving a scarlet stain on the stoned street. Several women fainted at the sight and some more screamed violently at the sight of the remnants of the men convulsing on the ground.

He felt his legs were giving up and he wished he would have heard Robert. He was still holding his breath and he heard the two little girls crying madly. More screaming filled the air again. This time a woman was caught with a dark red curse and started floating in the air, unable to escape.

"This is the worst one I've seen" said Robert his voice filled with anger, trying to warn them of what was about to happen. This time it had been the one with the staff who casted the curse. It had swiftly come out from the top of his dark staff in which a bright red ruby was engraved.

Harry willed his eyes to shut but they weren't obeying, and he saw that Ron was on the verge of tears, but their resolve didn't fade, and the shields were still up, without having drained their magic in the slightest.

But horror overwhelmed him once again when the woman in the air began shaking and one by one her limbs began ripping it selves from their body and her skin began ripping out. Bones, flesh and organs alike exploded into the street and with a final thump, the skull fell to the ground.

"_Ledrith"_

He saw as Robert twisted his face in anger and his voice changed. He wasn't sure how, but he had managed to cast another spell without moving his wand, and the shields vanished in front of them.

"This way they won't expect us to know how to make this kind of defense" he said in a hoarse tone.

More high-pitched laments came from the street as the two monsters in front of them got rid of every muggle in sight. He screamed inwardly when some children were stabbed by a magical beam shot out from the staff. A black fire emanated then from the second one's wand and burned a nearby store in which some muggles had taken cover. Slowly the black flames began engulfing several other buildings and screaming was heard from the inside.

"Why are they doing that?" said Ron wailing, tears running through his cheeks "they are looking for us!"

"Hermione! Hurry up!" yelled Harry.

"I know I know!" she said, apparently hearing the shrieks from the other side of town had affected her deeply and she was crying rivers, soaking the page she was reading.

Finally the two men reached the main plaza and immediately identified the young wizards. When they saw the stand they had taken, a deep, disturbing laugh erupted from under their hoods. One of them even inclined his head sideways as if inspecting the four children.

"An Invisibility cloak won't help" said the one who carried the staff. His voice was hoarse and high pitched, sending more chills through Harry's spine. The Grangers and the two girls had heard and the two adults couldn't silence the girls anymore. They were truly horrified and the they all felt impotent and useless.

_Come on! Where are the Aurors?!_

"They have yet to break the anti-apparition wards" said the man.

"They read my mind" said Harry astonished "Merlin's beard the monster just read my mind"

"Keep the shield up" whispered Robert "We have to stay strong, help is on the way"

Harry knew Rob was trying to comfort them, but inside he doubted Aurors would be coming any time soon. He didn't really understand what he said about the wards, but it probably meant they couldn't get in and they probably weren't going to be able to apparate out either. Harry then stiffened when the man raised his hand but fortunately he didn't send a curse.

"Give us the book" the cloaked man demanded.

Of course that was what they wanted. They had figured it out months ago when Rob told them about St. Mark's. For a reason he ignored, Robert never separated from the book, and this was not the exception. One thing he was sure of, they wouldn't let them live even if they gave the book willingly.

"No" said Rob plainly.

"As you wish" said the man with the staff "The red head will be the first one"

Ron gasped but Harry still felt the magic from his shield, so hopefully nothing would happen. But he couldn't help it but to feel terrified from the cloaked man.

"_Corpus Deleox"_

The dark green flash came from the blackened staff and Ron closed his eyes awaiting for the impact. But it never struck. The curse hit the invisible shield, emitting a deep pulse which reflected the spell into the sky. The golden shield from the youngest Weasley boy appeared undamaged. Rob canceled the vanishing charm. There was no point to have the shields concealed if the enemy already knew they had casted them.

The second man had crossed his arms in front of him but the sudden display of magic from the three children seemed to startle him. Apparently the distraction had worked and they weren't expecting them to put up any fight. The man then raised his wand and tried to summon the book but Robert's backpack did not even move.

"Fine…" said the second man as he raised his wand.

"_Ghaash: Furtun"_

A blaze of black flames erupted from the man's wand and it was directed to Harry's and Rob's shield. The energy blasted against the shields which were able to contain it. But temperature started rising and Harry found himself struggling to maintain his shields.

"_Egurskut"_

A grayish smoke trail came from the first one's staff and rapidly impacted the golden shield. The shockwave sent Ron flying backwards, crashing against the ground with his head. Rob's face contorted once again but his voice wasn't his own anymore.

"_Alu: Brilthor loel'var"_

The ground trembled and out of Robert's blue shield an immense torrent of pure water quenched the fire and was directed at the two cloaked man who disappeared under the water flow. Without hesitation Harry took the chance and ran towards Ron, pulling him as fast as he could. Hermione had finally found something but it was taking her time to understand whatever spell she was attempting to cast.

"What does it say Hermione?!" yelled Harry as he pronounced the spell once again.

He was interrupted when a lighting blast struck against his shield and the two dark figures were standing again on dry ground.

"Don't hesitate" said Rob with an unnatural deep and harsh voice which Harry had chosen to ignore since he was more preoccupied with the two attackers continuous curses.

"Which spell did you find?"

Their shields were being struck mercilessly and they had to change strategy when the man with the black wand disappeared behind a trail of smoke. Rob reacted timely and changed his shield to cover them from behind, just an instant before another spell tested their defenses.

"_Enervate"_ said Hermione pointing her wand at Ron

"What happened?" mumbled Ron but the sound of another crash woke him up and he put of another shield after Harry had collapsed against one of the gray shield shattering curses.

"_Enervate"_ she said once again, helping Harry get up.

The fighting was taking already its toll on the three young wizards, and their attackers would not stop. The four of them regained energies when five other muggle policemen surrounded the two men and gunshots filled the air. The two dark figures swiftly shielded themselves from the bullets and got rid of the muggles. But one particular bullet had crossed the shields of one of them and hit the leg of the man with the wand. This angered them further and both of them disappeared in a trail of smoke.

"You leave us no choice… children" said an eerie voice from nowhere.

"_Hamaushat"_

The voice of the two men echoed throughout the shattered town and no more spells came towards them. On first instance, nothing happened.

_The calm before the storm _thought Harry.

Screams filled the air once again and the few townsfolk that had managed to survive ran out into the streets. Slowly, the four wizards looked around dreading whatever was going to come out. A gorging sound came from the buildings and a black gigantic mass advanced. Harry winced when he saw that it was devouring everything that came in contact with it. Ginny and Luna shrieked and they quickly took the cloak off from them. Their four "protégées" were frightened to death, in state of shock when they saw what was happening.

"I want mom!" said Ginny wailing as she hugged Mr. Granger tightly "I don't want to be here Ron… I want mom!"

The voice of Ron's little sister broke his heart. But he had to remain focused there had to be a way to shield them from the deadly blob.

"Hermione" said Rob

"I found it it's just that it doesn't say which is the incantation anywhere!" she yelled "We need the book, Harry, look for it… it's called Portkey"

Without a moment's hesitation, Harry grabbed Rob's backpack and snatched the book. The deathly blob was advancing, consuming everything. A family tried to out run it but a tentacle stretched out, and slowly began absorbing their flesh. Rob had already calmed his impulses and had to turn around to avoid seeing the massacre in front of them.

"_Quaero Libri: Ker'Annon"_

Harry rapidly searched through the books writing. Time was running out, and he could almost feel the foul stench of the black slimy death that awaited them. There were too many pages describing all the ways of transportations but he couldn't dwell the thing was just a few feet away.

"I need more time!" he yelled in desperation.

Robert knew they were in trouble and he couldn't possibly know how to stop such a dark… well whatever that was. There was no other way, it was only a couple of feet away and it had already consumed the whole town.

'_Let me help you_ _again_'said the voice inside his head '_trust me'_

"Okay" he whispered barely audibly.

His eyes turned dark blue once again and his pupil again stretched across his eye. Drifting into a stupor, he could only see what was happening as if through a window, as if he wasn't even there. Like pulled by an invisible force, he raised his arm, pointing to the sky.

"_Me'urra: Tinechor Pela!"_

A lightning shot from his wand and thin bolts began surrounding them, and kept splitting until they could not see anything happening outside but a blue-whitish dome that shielded them from the blob. They could hear how the thing outside struggled to break the shield. The force was so strong that Rob had to use both hands to prevent the shield from collapsing.

"The shield will only help for a short time" he said again in a hoarse, deep voice.

The rest of them had blocked their eyes from the light that the shield produced. They were taken back to reality when the shield gave back a few inches. Harry scanned the next few pages and finally found what he was looking for.

"Hurry up Harry!" urged him Ron

"I've got it Hermione; it's _Portus"_

And just before the black blob collapsed the shield, a rush of wind was heard.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was always a serious man, not easy to get angry. He was widely known for his humility and kindness to everyone. Noble and intelligent, he was sometimes called the greatest wizard of the century. And it was not a normal occurrence that Albus Dumbledore was seen this mad.

The white chamber resembled the interior of a Greek temple, with white columns, marble flooring and elegant statues. Thirty six columns surrounded the main hall, in which a single, rectangular table stood before the entrance. Three majestic throne chairs were perfectly distributed on the table facing a single less elegant chair. Few wizards had had the opportunity of stepping over the polished floor. Countless precautions and defenses had been established to ensure the privacy and the protection of the invaluable construction.

One of the honored wizards was Albus Dumbledore himself, and once again he stepped calmly towards the main desk. Nighttime had already befallen and the shadows obscured the three men sitting on the throne chairs. Each one of them had a silver bracelet engraved with a different symbol. As Dumbledore reached the table, he gently vowed before them and slowly took sit.

"Wise are the Enlightened" said Dumbledore almost mechanically.

"To what do we owe your visit Albus" said a voice. It was one of an old man, hoarse from its many years.

"Do I really need to tell you Tobias?" he said, the gentleness of his voice completely lost.

The man on the middle cleared his throat and rested his elbows on the table, placing his hands together over his mouth.

"Let's not insult his knowledge Tobias" said the second man "After all he could be called one of us if he wanted"

"Fair enough Ernest" continued the first man "Have you retrieved the book Albus?"

Dumbledore sighed. The mission that had been assigned to him had proven to be impossible. Not because he couldn't take a book from his grandson, no. The book didn't _want _to be taken. It simply disappeared from his hands into Robert's bag.

"I believe you know the answer" he stated

"This is troubling news" said the third one "Its protections are formidable of course…"

"Now… on the subject of the attack" said the man called Tobias.

This was the main reason for calling the meeting. He still was unsure how the events had unfolded but it had been far worse than the attack from St. Mark's. What surprised him the most was the method of escape the children used. He had completely underestimated Potter and his grandson's friend's, especially the Granger girl. How astounding it was that she had been able to create a Portkey and without even practicing.

"They are moving already" said Dumbledore "We should make haste"

"Do you think that the two attacks are related" asked Tobias.

"As I have said before, the evidence is solid on that matter" said Dumbledore

"Half the time the child has been under the influence of a demon" said Ernest "Do you think he's trustable"

"Completely"

"The attacks could still be from completely isolated group Albus" said Tobias.

This infuriated Dumbledore further. He couldn't make out if it was a premeditated attempt to ignore the facts presented to them or if they were complete and utterly stupid.

"We cannot read your mind Albus" said the third mind "Better express it in words old friend"

"The Valari have already been summoned" said Albus containing himself "And it is unrelated to Riddle. I would have been informed otherwise"

"Still there is no evidence but the word of an eleven year old" said Tobias.

"Fine!" bellowed Dumbledore "It seems that power has blinded your vision old fools. Power… and money from the European ministries have corrupted you. You still choose not to look for the muggle government help!"

"Silence" said the man on the middle. And as if commanded by magic Albus Dumbledore fell silent.

"No one can speak in such manner in front of the Enlightened. There is a reason why we made this decisions Albus. We don't need to remind you what could happen if you defy us. The main reason this organization was formed a millennia ago was to ensure the security of the wizarding world. It would be unnecessary to remind you of Grindewald."

"That is something I will regret forever" muttered Dumbledore bowing softly "And you have my apologies for such impertinence"

Tobias sighed

"Albus old friend, do not think that we will remain calm about this situation. We proclaim that there is no hard evidence of your suspicions, but there are few groups who can be behind such a terrible event. We shall see that those groups are carefully investigated and the correspondent action will be taken when the perpetrators are found."

"You have my gratitude" was the only thing that Dumbledore said before standing up and bowing before the three wizards.

"Wise are the Enlightened" he announced before leaving the majestic hall.

He had barely stepped off the marbles stone when he looked back at the castle behind him and in front of his eyes, the whole building vanished. A burst of flame then announced the arrival of his phoenix.

"Fawkes… I think we are in trouble… take me to Remus"

And with another burst of flame, the bird and the old man disappeared.

* * *

A faint knock woke Remus Lupin from his sleep. Still tired from his transformation, he wondered who would come all the way to his cabin during those days. Slowly he stretched and got up from his couch, dragging along his ragged clothes. His sandy brown hair had already a few traces of white in it. Like an adult who aged in short time. With unsteady steps he made way towards the door and opened, only to find a sight he had not witnessed in a long time. In front of him stood his old headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, with his usual purple cloak and half-moon spectacles. But his eyes had yet to show their usual sparkle. It only meant trouble.

"Trouble, Albus?" he asked with a faint smirk.

"Straight to the point Remus, you catch on quickly as always" he said a brief smile crossing his lips but then sighed "I wished this meeting could take place in other circumstances, merrier of course."

Lupin shrugged and invited Dumbledore inside. If his old headmaster, one of the greatest minds of the century was troubled, then it would not be a happy meeting.

"May I offer some tea, Albus?" Remus told him.

The headmaster gently shook his head.

"I'm afraid there are matters that need to be treated quickly"

"Is this about Voldemort?" the werewolf asked.

"Unfortunately it is not"

Lupin collapsed to the lone armchair on his living room. If a matter regarding the fallen Dark Lord could be more fortunate than the current predicament, things were about to become grim. Dumbledore swiftly conjured a chair out of thin air and took sit.

"We need to arrange the old defenses again" said Dumbledore calmly "And recruit what help we can get"

"You want me to go to my kind?" asked Remus abashed.

"This time they won't even listen to you, they have more pressing… reasons not to join our side. Have you heard of Blackfang?"

Lupin almost fell from his chair, eyes open wide in shock. He felt his heart thumping and adrenaline course through his body. He had not felt like this since the last time he fought against five Death Eaters alone. And just because of a single name. He actually was more afraid of Blackfang's name than Voldemort's.

"But he…" the werewolf stuttered "he… is supposed to be a myth, an urban legend"

"Many think that he is dead" said Dumbledore calmly

"Is he not?" said Lupin bewildered.

"I'm afraid so" said Dumbledore "You know what his appearance would represent, don't you? And things don't end there. He is just supposed to be a pawn."

"What?" asked Lupin incredulously "you must be freaking kidding me! Who could have tamed him?"

"Remus" commanded Dumbledore "what I'm about to rely to you must not leave this walls, not to be mentioned to anyone unless I concede to it. Am I clear?"

"As water Albus"

"Perfect" Dumbledore said, and cleared his throat "Since the year of 1934 I got involved in a certain group as was my dear friend Gellert Grindelwald. It is an organization behind many of the world-changing decisions for us wizards. Everything you believe about the confrontation between me and Grindelwald was pure rumor and fantasy from the press. But the organization was behind it. This group… 'The Enlightened' pursued Grindelwald and it became my duty to stop him. But in the end… Gellert confided in me the reason he terrorized Europe so many years ago. And I didn't believe it and overpowered him."

"Wait… is this association known by the Ministry?" asked Remus confused.

"Fudge it's too much of a fool to know about them" Said Albus "And the group is the main reason why neither me, Scrimegour nor Crouch got the seat."

"Albus… why are you telling me this?

"Because it's imperative…" said Albus, on the brink of sounding exasperated "Although I trusted fully the Enlightened decisions, the few recent events, the massacres of St. Mark's and Ottery St. Catchpole, are far too disturbing not to notice. These were two calculated attacks, not mere massacres from an angry dark wizard. Ages ago, the Enlightened was formed by the most prominent wizards of the time to fight against the most terrible enemy ever to walk earth. Its actions were so…terrible that the identity was to remain hidden. Voldemort wouldn't even stand a chance against this enemy. It is said that it took a great sacrifice from Merlin himself to defeat it. Of course this dark wizard… or creature… had followers around the entire world. At the time it was finally struck down these followers fled, with the promise of returning. Several terrorist acts had this group to blame, never taking place close to each other. But the recent events have troubled me and I went to the Enlightened for advice…"

"They turned you down" said Lupin as state rather than a question.

"I feel the Enlightened is suffering from the same… blindness that the Ministry. It was said that in my early childhood I shared the visions of Grindelwald of cleansing the world from muggles and squibs. But it couldn't have been more far from the reality. The truth is that we searched for Enlightened because of our thirst for knowledge. You can't even begin to imagine the library they possess. I don't think any library, muggle or wizard for that matter could ever rival the quantity of books it has. We wanted to do great things but we always had our mind set on one particular. Muggle-Wizard cooperation"

"You were really looking for that Albus?" said Remus astounded "Wow… th.. but.. and Grindelwald wanted that too? But what happened?"

"The Enlightened refused the idea… badly" said Dumbledore "But that is a story for another time. The point is that we need to start building defenses, for Hogwarts for starters. Children are the future – of either side mind you – and it will always be a certain target. But we also need the strength in numbers. If my suspicions are correct… the attacks won't cease this time. We need to call for the Order of the Phoenix again. We will have to meet as fast as we can. And one thing I can tell you… Voldemort is one of the followers of Merlin's enemy and I fear that he is still alive…"


	11. Forbidden

Disclaimer Everything related to Harry potter is owned by JK Rowling. I own nothing.

**Chapter 11: Forbidden**

The beeping sounds of the room filled the calm room in which the small boy rested. Harry had heard a few times of the Wizards magical hospital, St. Mungo's, from Ron a few times before. But since their arrival he had begun dreading the wretched place. He didn't know if it was because its walls were so…white. Or maybe it was the constant coming and going from the Healers. But one thing he was sure of, he did not like watching Robert tied to that much equipment. Hopefully he would regain consciousness sometime that day, which was the only thought that relaxed him.

Next to him Ginny was leaning against her mother, embracing her in a tight hug. The youngest Weasley was still red from crying all the time during the whole two days they had been in the hospital. Ron was on the other side of Mrs. Weasley leaning against her free shoulder. He also had finally been able to get some sleep. He had confessed the day before that he was afraid of having nightmares. Mrs. Weasley sighed as she observed the motionless figure of Robert being carefully monitored by the Healers.

Severe Case of Magical Exhaustion was the diagnosis St. Mungo's staff had declared. Even so, Healer Stanton had been confused and had only arrived to that conclusion because there was not any other logical explanation. As far as Harry knew, no one knew for sure what was happening to his friend. Hermione and the Grangers, as well as Luna and her parents, had left the day before taking their daughters with them. At least, the three girls had not witnessed most of the massacre unlike Ron and Harry.

Dumbledore had come before the girl left and asked them to tell them how the events had occurred. He could still remember the reaction of the headmaster when they told him their story. Apparently what surprised him the most wasn't the fact that their attackers had mercilessly slaughtered a couple hundred muggles or that they used staves for casting their curses. It was actually the feat that Hermione had to perform in order for them to escape. According to him, creating a Portkey wasn't an easy accomplishment. In fact, only NEWT level students or higher could actually create the transportation device. He looked worried when the five children told him what happened to Robert, the whole voice and eyes changes and the amazing display of magic. The quiet mumble that escaped Rob's mouth awoke Harry from his daydreaming and stood up to walk to his bed. Rob's eyes were moving rapidly, ever since they had arrived at Hogwarts entrance, where they received the immediate assistance of Hagrid and McGonagall. The ever strict professor had been shocked too when Hermione told what happened and the means of their escape. She immediately created a Portkey and took them to St. Mungo's.

"Come on Rob" said Harry almost feeling his voice breaking "you can wake up now. Come on!"

What nobody noticed was a white light emanating from his hands.

* * *

Inside his mind, Robert opened his eyes only to find himself in a large white room. In front of him a semi-human figure was sitting down with his legs and arms closed. But his body was completely engulfed in fire and blaze, and his skin was completely red. He tried to cover himself from the heat but he then noticed that he wasn't feeling anything.

"Glad you are finally awoken child" said the Ifrit "it's almost time for you to leave this place"

"Where am I?" asked Robert confused "What happened to my friends?"

"They are well young one" he said sighing "I suppose you want to ask me why I helped you?"

Robert nodded anxiously.

"Djinns, such as me" began the fire demon "have been unfairly misjudged throughout history. Contrary of what many believe, us Ifrits aren't creatures of evil. Well, not all of us for that matter. In fact we are very similar to humans in many aspects. For once, we have our own free will, meaning that we don't have to be evil if we choose not to."

"And why did you possess me?"

"Ah boy…" the creature snarled "The issue is that, due to exceptional circumstances I was forced into your body six months ago. You should remember the incident a little too well"

"St. Mark's?"

"Precisely!" said the Ifrit "Are you able to recall how you were attacked, and your rage allowed to create some very powerful spells in order to protect you? Do you remember a particular black spell casted by one of the perpetrators?"

"Actually I do remember that it almost passed through the shield"

"That is because a part of the spell broke through. It was a terrible dark and ancient magic the one they used. It had two very specific purposes. The first one consisted on ripping your body of every ounce of magic it possesses and transfers it to the caster. Of course this effect was blocked immediately by the shield. The second purpose, however, was to cause _pain_, but not any type of physical pain, but pain to your very soul. But the reaction it provoked when it impacted the shield was the most uncommon I have ever witnessed. How much have you read of Djinns?"

"Well I have read that your kind lives in another plane of existence somewhat isolated from ours" answered Robert warily.

"It is true, young one. The fact is, I was observing the whole event which ultimately led to the confrontation between you and the three of them, but it is still unclear for me what happened. What I can tell you it's that when the curse rebounded of the shield, a vortex was created in my plain and I got sucked into it. And here I am."

"And you can't free yourself from me?" asked Robert "Is it possible to take you out using the spell we found."

"I don't think that is going to be possible, however, you have my word I will not harm your acquaintances and I will aid you in any of you endeavors. My advice is to search for other means of releasing me..." the Ifrit then sighed and continued his speech "…I'm afraid our time is over. Do not hesitate on asking for help, child."

Having said this, the Ifrit then opened its eyes and Robert had to muffle his scream.

* * *

"Rob, calm down!" yelled Harry, trying to keep his friend down in his bed "its okay you are in a hospital! Someone please come! Rob's awake!"

Finally recognizing who was talking, Rob felt his own voice failing and held Harry's arm in a strong grip. Healers then rushed in and began checking the child's vital signs and were shocked when they announced that he had fully recovered, both physically and magically.

"Oh I'm so glad you're fine my dear" said Mrs. Weasley and she stood up and embraced the Headmaster's grandson in one of her crushing hugs. Ginny and Ron also ran and hugged him.

"I thought you were a goner, mate!" said Ron patting his shoulder. Ginny however had started crying once again.

"Thank you" was the only thing she was able to mutter as she quickly hugged her brother's friend.

"It was nothing Ginny" said Rob "And these two also helped" he added pointing at Harry and her brother.

"Is that true Ronald?" her mother said as she gave him a crushing embrace "I'm so proud of you… you… you protected your little sister! Oh wait until Arthur hears this. And Harry, thank you! Thank you very much!"

Of course, Harry wasn't deprived of one of Mrs. Weasleys hugs. She had been very quiet for the past two days, and her emotions were probably building up during the whole ordeal. The four of them stepped back as Robert attempted to sit up and get off the bed. Slowly he managed to take some steps and quickly regained his motor skills.

_He will be running in no time _thought Harry chuckling softly.

"I'll go send notice to Arthur" said Mrs. Weasley "he was very worried about you dear. And the mess those monsters made! They have almost the entire Magic Reversal Squad over Ottery St. Catchpole trying to reverse the damage." A few tears escaped her eyes "I'm just so glad you are all okay"

She then left the four children. Outside Harry noticed the two Aurors were still standing guard by the doorway and Harry shook his head.

"Guys" said Robert "I need to tell you something"

Harry then noticed him looking at Ginny who had frowned and crossed her arms.

_She looks funny when she's angry _Harry thought but he was interrupted by Robert suddenly getting serious.

"Can I trust you to keep a secret anything I'm about to say?"

Ginny opened widely her eyes and took a couple steps back, her face showing pure fear.

"It's okay if you don't want to know, it isn't really bad Ginny. Actually it's very good news."

Ginny stopped for a moment and without hesitation she sat on one of the couches and nodded for him to continue. Rob then turned to Harry and then to Ron who had too raised an eyebrow.

"I talked to the Ifrit"

"WHAT?" was the quick response from Rob and Harry.

"Ifrit? What is that?" asked Ginny confused.

"It's a type of demon who is actually living in my body by mistake"

Ginny then looked extremely afraid, just like during the attack on Ottery St. Catchpole.

"Don't worry!" said Robert a bit too quick "He said that he didn't mean harm to us and he would help us. To be honest, he is the reason we are alive"

He then proceeded to explain the conversation that took place inside his head and how the Ifrit had been forced to enter his mind during the attack. After he finished his tale, the three of them seemed a bit more relaxed, especially when he told them that such a powerful being was on their side. Ginny then frowned again and Harry could almost see the gears in his head spinning rapidly.

"That's why your eyes change, isn't it?" the red head asked.

"Yea I suppose it is"

"Well I hadn't thought about that" said Harry thoughtfully "Now that you mention it, it is very likely. Did you get to see his eyes?"

Robert nodded his head but they quickly understood he didn't want to talk about it. As in cue, Mrs. Weasley barged in and announced that he could go back home as soon as he wanted.

"Also, Rob, dear, Albus is here to see you" said Mrs. Weasley, opening the door for his grandfather.

The wise old man looked even more preoccupied than he had seen him the last time. Nevertheless his usual sparkle was still there behind his half-moon spectacles.

"May I have a word with my grandson?" Dumbledore asked the Weasleys. Nodding, Mrs. Weasley took her two children "Harry can stay"

After the red-headed family left, Dumbledore conjured an armchair and invited Harry to take a sit next to him.

"How are you holding kiddo?" he asked in his usual calm tone. They were a mere few words but they made Robert and Harry let out a breath of air they had been holding. Robert nodded, which made Dumbledore relax.

"I know it's hard to relive the events, Harry, Rob" he said before adjusting his glasses "but I need you to tell me certain details of your attackers. For what I have gathered through the scene, there were several magic residues that confirmed a strong shield was casted in the Plaza's center. Auror's also confirmed that several muggles witnessed three boys using sticks that created some… colorful circles"

"Yes we did _pops_" said Robert a bit saddened "but we had to do it to protect Ginny and Luna and the Grangers. We couldn't protect anyone else…"

"But Hermione said that we were allowed to use magic to defend ourselves" interjected Harry. "If we hadn't put up the shields and made the Portkey, we would all be dead and the book theirs"

"Worry not, young one" said Dumbledore "It is true that in extreme situations, underage wizards are allowed to defend themselves against any threat to them or any other person. I haven't come here to punish you. As a matter of fact I come here to ask you how you managed to do such advanced magic"

"We practiced" said Harry apprehensively "in our free time… we go to the Room of requirement every chance we have"

After having finished the story, Dumbledore was astounded at how easily the first years performed had magic that even grown adults could found difficult. It had also disturbed the headmaster that one of the attackers wielded a staff instead of a wand, but somehow it seemed that he had confirmed something.

"_Pops_" said Rob looking at a headmaster seriously "They will keep coming, right?"

"I'm afraid so kiddo" Dumbledore answered "Both of you have proven to be very skilled wizards, and let me tell you that it is quite a feat what you managed there, to protect your fellow classmates and friends. Harry" he said smiling to the boy-who-lived "your parents would be proud of you, as I am proud of both of you."

"Professor" he said Nervously "Are those people, Voldemort's followers"

"Death Eaters you mean?" he said, revealing the name of the Dark Lord's underlings "No… those were far more dangerous than you can even imagine. They use dark magic that I haven't heard of myself, so you can see that the situation is far more troubling than everyone likes to think."

"Is he really dead? Voldemort I mean…" Harry asked

"No, I am afraid he is just waiting the right opportunity…"

* * *

The impact of the massacre at the muggle town was huge for the wizarding world as much as it was for the muggles. The ministry had attributed the '_incident'_ to a severe gas explosion which of course raised suspicions throughout the muggle community. By the time the holidays ended, the six youngsters had barely recovered, and the Grangers had been reluctant to let Hermione back to the magic school. After a whole five hours of convincing from Mr. Weasley and Dumbledore himself, and constant begging from his daughter, Mr. Granger yielded and gave permission for Hermione to return to Hogwarts.

They arrived at King's Cross as quietly as they could, not wanting to draw attention from anyone, which was proving to be pretty difficult, having a group formed of seven red-heads, as well as having all sorts of strange things over their trunks. It was just until they crossed platform nine and three quarters that the group finally relaxed. Harry, Robert and Ron quickly found their way to where Hermione was and quickly said their goodbyes to their parents. Having loaded their trunks in the last compartment, the bushy haired girl urged Robert to get the book.

"We need to find how to do magic outside school without having the ministry on our tails" she said "and the only way I can think of its removing the _Trace_. Many books mention it but it supposedly broken when the persons reaches their maturity at age of seventeen. They never say something about breaking it with a spell."

"That's why you need the book, isn't it?" said Ron

"Thank you captain obvious" said Harry smacking him behind his head.

"I have another idea" said Robert with a serious look on his face. Harry noticed immediately, and chose not to roll his eyes at Dumbledore for interrupting a fun moment.

"We should begin training" he said simply

"Aren't we doing that already?" said Ron confused, not for the first time of course… "I mean, we are going to school, learning all sorts of magic stuff and on top of that, on our free time what do we do? We study! What else should we train for?"

"Remember what we said of all branches of magic?" said Robert.

"Yes" the three of them answered.

"Well I have been giving quick glances and many of them need not only mental prowess and magic skills but also they need for the user to be in complete control of their body and have good physical condition"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, trying to understand the meaning of what Rob had implied.

_Physical training?! _Harry thought.

"Is is necessary?" said Ron

"Of course it is!" said Hermione excited "it will not only help us with these magic branches that Rob is talking about. It will help us so we can have better reflexes and resistance whenever we have to duel! Don't you see, magic is not only about chanting a few phrases in Latin, it is about dedication and discipline too!"

"Fine fine!" said Ron leaning against the window of the compartment "I guess we do need some training"

"And a healthy diet!" Hermione bellowed. She had already taken out a piece of parchment and ink. Harry noticed she was taking notes and preparing a schedule for training, studying, practicing and even relaxing.

"What?" she asked when she noticed the curious looks the three boys were giving her "You should see yourself in the mirror, you're as thin as a straw. If you were being serious about all the physical condition things you need to grow some muscles under that skin."

"It has nothing to do with you wanting us to look even more handsome, does it?" asked Harry smirking "Now that I think about it, maybe it could help us to get girls too!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head, as she continued writing the schedule, not after mumbling something that sounded definitely like '_boys_'.

The door compartment then opened and Neville Longbottom shyly asked if he could have a seat, since he was trying to avoid the Weasley twins. After having taking place next to Hermione, he noticed what she was doing and got curious about it.

"You can join too Neville" said Ron.

"Yea, Hermione wants to kill us with training and study, not to mention we already have several essays to write for homework" said Harry amusedly.

"Really? Are you going to exercise and stuff?" asked Neville impatiently, which surprised Harry and the others. After thinking it through for a while, Harry decided it could be a good idea if more people could be involved in their study group. Even so, he was torn in between including him, thus, getting him in harm's way by telling him about the book or if it would be a wiser idea not to include him. In the end he opted for asking what his friends thought.

"Should we tell him about the book?" he asked. His friends also contemplated the idea and he got his answer when the three of them nodded.

"What book?" Neville asked frowning "What are you guys talking about?"

"Neville" said Robert, deciding it was better if he explained "You see before I got to Hogwarts…"

After Robert finished his story with intermediate comments from Harry, Ron and Hermione, the look of Neville had become a mixture of astonishment, fear and utter shock.

"You mean…" he started stuttering "you… you... where... _there?_"

"Oh…."

Robert just shrugged it off and snatched the book from his bag. After showing it to Neville and answering some of his questions they started searching for a way to erase the Trace from their wands. He then stumbled with something that made him open his eyes in astonishment and then he smiled slyly.

"What, what did you find?" asked Hermione noticing the look in his eyes "I know you found something interesting, spit it out"

"Later, we are near Hogwarts already" said Robert "we need to change, remember not to tell anyone Neville… and everyone, avoid Snape until we get to the common room"

Being the first to arrive to the castle, the five Gryffindors didn't hesitate and ran towards the room of requirement. It would be an understatement to say that Neville was surprised. Between the invisibility cloak and the large hall that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, it looked like he had lost his eyelids from the shock. Almost desperately, they sat in a round table that was conjured by the Room of requirement, especially made for studying.

"Occlumency" began Robert "Do you know what that is Hermione"

"It has something to do with the mind…. I think"

"Wow!" said Ron "Hermione doesn't know something! That's a new one"

The piercing glare that Hermione gave him afterwards kept him quiet for the remainder of the afternoon.

"Well actually it is" said Harry reading the page that Robert had picked "It's the art of blocking the mind. We are really going to need the training that Rob said, as well as meditation and mind relaxing exercises."

"Why do we need it?" asked Neville curiously.

"You remember what we told you? That the dark wizards could read our minds?" asked Hermione

"Oh…." He said once again.

The five first then began practicing the exercises described in the book, but as far as they could see, they had a lot of work to do. There was also the problem that they would need to practice Legilimency in order to test each other's mind defenses.

After a couple of hours and several headaches, Hermione and Ron began practicing the defensive spells that they had learned as well as a few offensive ones while Rob helped Neville with the ones they had already mastered. It turned out that the shy, reclusive Gryffindor was in fact quite talented, and could already cast a few shield spells. Meanwhile, Harry had kept reading the book, still looking for a way to practice magic outside school. After shifting a few pages, however, he stopped suddenly and called for the rest of his housemates.

"What is it?" asked Robert

"Read this"

Robert frowned and started reading, muttering incoherently whatever he was reading. He then smirked and passed the book back to Harry who nodded knowingly.

"Ok" said Ron anxiously "Stop it! Are you going to tell us or what?"

"This chapter is about the various weapons that could be imbued with magic in order to channel it, how to design, construct, and use them"

"What is that supposed to mean" asked Hermione.

"Oh I think I know what you mean" said Ron smirking at Hermione who immediately started bickering with him.

"Oi you two stop it" yelled Robert while he and Neville attempted to break them up.

"Guys, listen" said Harry. He was mesmerized by what he had found.

"_During my travels around the world I have encountered numerous cultures and different ways to approach and perceive magic. One of the most fascinating facts of these differences was that, unlike in Europe, wands and staves aren't the only equipment used to channel magic. The weapons vary, as I have stated, from wands, staves, swords, knives even to rings and bows. For instance, swordsmanship…"_

"Then the book talks of several locations where wizards use this weapons, but It doesn't even mention how to 'imbue' them with magic or anything useful, maybe there is something in the library."

"I think we first need to focus in Occlumency" said Hermione. For some strange reasons, at the mention of swords she had already envisioned herself wielding a powerful blade striking fear in enemies. She quickly returned back to reality and continued.

"If we try to do many things at once we'll end up screwing some of them up"

"Right, so… Occlumency and Legilimency it is" stated Ron.

Just before curfew, the sound of five faint steps echoed through the castle, signal of the young Gryffindors returning after their first session of mind arts.

A month quickly passed, and between the newly improved schedule and the constant homework flow from the teachers, Harry and the others found themselves exhausted. Apart from the super-tight schedule from Hermione and the constant physic and mental exercises, they had to deal with the constant bullying from the Slytherins, specially the Valari. Even so, it caught their attention that the eldest member of their family had not returned from the holidays, which calmed the attacks against muggleborns.

Neville had caught on quickly and the five first years had already developed some control over their minds through their constant exercises and meditation. Hermione had also forced them to a practice session before sleeping, which turned to be quite helpful to avoid any nightmares and to restore their lost energies from the previous day. Then, during the morning, they would wake up early and run some loops around the lake, then some pushups and crunches. It wasn't that much but it was a start, and it had been slowly improving their resistance. Surprisingly, Hermione had shown as much advance as the boys, something that Ron attributed to cheating, but she had proven him wrong with a single one-on-one race.

Panting from exhaustion, Harry and the others crashed on the common room. It had been a close call, but it was worth it. When Hagrid had told them that he had won a Dragon, they had never imagined it would grow at such an alarming speed. The only downside of their adventure had been losing several hundred points and a night of detention with the caretaker. And it was all thanks to Malfoy… but at least they hadn't been expelled by McGonagall.

Their night escapade, however, had revealed something else. While dragging the dragon to the astronomy tower under the invisibility cloak, they had almost stumbled against Snape and Quirrel. The unsuspecting professors had been caught in a heated argument. It was still unclear for them what they had been arguing about but other things were in the minds of the first years at the moment.

The five Gryffindors walked towards the main entrance, where Malfoy and Flich were already waiting. Malfoy had a scowl on his face but nevertheless, the six first years followed the caretaker silently. Filch had gladly announced that they would be joining Hagrid in an investigation inside the Forbidden Forest.

"But aren't there werewolves on the forest" asked Draco frightened.

":Really?" asked Ron smirking "Is powerful Draco Malfoy scared of the Forest?"

"There are far more dangerous things inside, kid" answered Filch.

That wiped Ron's smile for the whole evening.

On the edge of the forest, the gigantic man was already waiting for them, Crossbow at hand and wearing a serious look on his face. With little conversation, Filch left them under Hagrid's care and left for the castle, his wicked smile never leaving his face.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, ye lot?"

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff; it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd —"

Harry and Rob snickered.

"— tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat use ful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were ex pelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dan gerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disap peared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

Quickly he explained how the Unicorns had been recently found attacked, and what drinking their blood could do to someone. He then made them separate in two parties, one following him and one with Fang. Somehow Harry doubted that 'nothing that lived in the forest would attack them' If they were with Hagrid or Fang. Then Hagrid took Hermione, Neville and Ron and the rest would go with the groundkeeper's dog.

"Hagrid" Harry asked the gigantic man "what could be killing the unicorns?"

"I don't know" he said worried "ye have ter be fast, and the unicorns 're pretty strong magic creatures. It had never happened before on this Forest."

Harry gulped and separated from Hagrid's group.

"Wands out" said Rob, earning a confused look from Draco. But Harry was already used to Robert being so careful; he was always prepared in case they ran into trouble. Without saying a word both of them took out their wands not caring if their Slytherin companion had followed them. In their way, they had met a Centaur, a mixture between a man and a horse. He presented himself as Firenze, and spoke a few words about mars being bright that night. Clueless about the centaur's antics they continued their way into the forest. Darkness overcame and the moon had long disappeared, the only light coming from the tip of their wands.

"Wait until my father hears of this… he will be pissed" said Draco scowling lighting up his wand as they reached a clearing, surrounded by tall, dark trees; the only spot where the moon light actually reached the ground. Something then caught Harry's attention. A white light was pouring from the floor and when they leaned down they realized it was a liquid.

"This must be the Unicorn's blood Hagrid was talking about" said Harry "Half-life cursed if you drink it… who would want that"

"Someone that has nothing to lose" said Draco, not even scowling anymore. A faint growl came from the farthest part of the clearing, followed by a pair of yellow eyes. The three boys froze, but Fang didn't hesitate and ran the opposite way. An immense wolf walked slowly, not even blinking, as if daring the three students to run. Its white and black fur shone against the moonlight.

"Harry…" said Rob. He didn't have to say nothing. He held his wand in a strong grip and canceled the light spell.

"_Nox_"

They could sense that Malfoy was trembling but they could care less, as the beast in front of them took slow steady steps towards them, growling. Robert then nodded to Harry, and he raised his wand, sending red sparkles into the air, just as Hagrid had told them.

"Are you ready, Rob?" said Harry, almost smirking.

"What?!" muttered Draco anxiously "Are you going to fight that thing? It's huge!"

Robert, however, paid no attention to the white haired boy, as he took a few steps towards the wolf. The wolf appeared confused as to why his prey would actually walk towards him, and started walking sideways, inspecting the boy. Robert however stood still, only following the yellow eyes not moving an inch. Harry took advantage of the situation and raised his wand.

"_Stupefy"_

A red jolt came out from his wand and hit the unwary wolf, sending it a few feet away crashing to a tree. What the boys didn't expect was that the wolf would merely shrug off the stunner spell. As the creature recovered, Harry and Robert took a step back, just where Malfoy had watched the whole scene.

"Great you idiot" said the Slytherin "Now he's angry"

Rob wasn't even paying attention, and raised his wand.

"_Incarcerous"_ he muttered.

Ropes came out of his wand, snatching the creature. The wolf wailed and tried to free itself from the bind from the conjured ropes. Harry patted Rob's shoulder and walked to the fallen beast. The wolf had stopped fighting and was faintly whimpering. Strangely, Harry felt pity of the creature and leaned down, caressing his fur and scratching his ears. The wolf looked at him confused, and silently begged the boy to release him. Harry couldn't believe what he was about to do, but somehow he knew the beast would not attack them again. He looked directly to the wolf's eyes and nodded.

Robert and Draco watched the exchange, but the latter didn't understand what the Gryffindors were about to do.

"_Finite Incantatem"_

"What are you doing?!" bellowed Malfoy "He's going to eat us"

The ropes then disappeared, and the wolf stood up in his four legs. Harry faced the wolf and realized he hadn't measured the creature's size before, only a few inches shorter than him, and maybe three times larger. The wolf took several steps, but Harry stood still. Draco gasped and, while trembling, he reached for his wand, only to be stopped by Robert.

"Don't" was the only thing that he told the Slytherin.

When the wolf reached Harry, they both bowed their heads in a silent agreement. Then Harry and Rob walked to the beast and scratched his head. Surprisingly, the wolf seemed to be enjoying it, and Harry looked at Draco, telling him that it was okay. The White haired boy walked slowly, but seeing that both Gryffindors had already approached the beast, his confidence rose.

"You aren't that bad eh?" said the Slytherin smiling as he scratched behind the wolf's ears. Hermione, Ron and Neville could not be more confused when they arrived at the scene, and watched as the three boys next to a wolf that could easily rip their head off in one bite. It wasn't that they were near the canine; it was the fact that they were actually enjoying the company of the Slytherin boy. Hagrid couldn't be more ecstatic when they reached the scene and he too caressed the wolf.

"ren't ye a cute one" Hagrid said reaching for the wolf "He's a youngster yer know? 'ese magic wolves grow twice their size, and they have natural resistance to magic"

Harry and Rob snorted, leaving everyone but Draco confused.

"Maybe he can help us find what we are looking for" said Draco "He lives in the forest, doesn't he? He might have already seen what's attacking the unicorns"

"Who are you and where is Draco Malfoy?" asked Ron between amusement, confusion and a bit of anger. Hermione, who had been target of his mockery, was still a bit apprehensive and confused of how the Slytherin suddenly was smiling around them.

"What? Isn't it easier if we have his help?" the Slytherin said "I don't want to be a single second more than I need in this wretched forest. Don't think that I'm enjoying being out here with you Gryffindors"

Harry then showed them where they had found the unicorns blood. The wolf reached, leaned down his head and smelled, only to recoil immediately. Obviously, the creature was smart enough not to drink the blood of such a pure and powerful creature.

"We should name him" said Neville scratching the wolf. He was actually enjoying all the attention the boys were giving him, and they in turn were looking forward of having him as their mascot.

"Yeah, we should, and maybe put him something so we can recognize him when we come back" said Hermione.

"What do you mean when we come back!?" said Ron startled.

"What?" said Draco almost laughing "Is little Weasley afraid of the Forest?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. He couldn't believe they were having an almost pleasant conversation with someone like Malfoy. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the flapping sound of a cloak and the rustling of branches and leaves, and a chill crept up his back.

Hagrid reached for his crossbow and aimed, but nothing came out.

"Khelek" said Robert, and placed his hand on the wolf's head. The wolf raised his gaze and looked directly at Rob's eyes and nodded.

"Where do you get those names?" said Ron frowning.

"Dunno…"

Harry had been too busy looking everywhere; he felt someone was watching them. From the moment they arrived at the forest his scar had been bothering him. But when they got to the clearing, the feeling turned into a weak, piercing pain. They split in two groups again, but this time, Khelek was guiding them. They had shown the wolf the unicorn's blood and he immediately backed down, disgusted. Harry managed to 'convince' him that they needed to follow the unicorns trail and once again, Harry, Rob and Malfoy walked slowly through the shadows of the forest.

"What's that?" said Malfoy, pointing at a white shadow in the middle of the forest, just below an enormous wood trunk.

"I think that's the Unicorn" said Harry.

"Wands" said Robert. Knowing that something was wrong, Harry and Malfoy followed silently.

And indeed it was the Unicorn. The three boys followed the wolf through a small path just to end in another clearing, facing the now dead unicorn. But before they could reach the fallen beast, a bush quivered. Khelek growled and an adrenaline rush coursed through them.

Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Slowly, it reached the unicorn, and leaning down, it began to drink its blood. The wolf then barked and the figure saw the three boys with their wands ready. From below the shadow of its hood, the man or creature seemed to be smiling…

The three boys then froze… A spot in the ground began stretching upwards, and it slowly began taking a human form. It looked like earth itself had created a human figure. In a couple of seconds, another hooded figure had appeared, with long dark hair falling over the black cloak. It was small, not taller than the three of them, which startled them, and it had a wand on the right hand.

Wasting not a moment, Harry and Rob pulled the wolf and the Slytherin boy behind them and raised their wands in the custom position.

"_Tinechor Ledrith" _both of them muttered. When nothing happened Malfoy began shaking but kept rooted to the ground. The wolf, hiding behind Harry, growled at the figure.

"That won't work twice" said the figure, in a high, hoarse voice. However, its tone appeared to be the one of a… girl. Neither Harry nor Robert noticed the white haired boy frowning.

"_Ghaash: Egurskut"_

A small, but immensely bright fireball came out the figure's wand and impacted Rob's shield. The blast that came sent the three boys and the wolf flying backwards several feet. However Robert fell several feet farther and disappeared from sight. The wolf recovered and lunged towards the figure which began sending spells. Harry saw how Khelek dodged and evaded most of the spells and almost managed to grab the figure's hand. But not a second later the wolf was sent flying once again.

Malfoy had already gotten up and was watching the whole scene, not able to move an inch. Their attacker took advantage and casted another fireball directly at the Slytherin boy. It took a millisecond for Harry to react, and he jumped in front of Malfoy, ignoring the excruciating pain of his scar. In the blink of an eye he had his wand pointed at the incoming spell.

"_Contego!"_

A red shield appeared in front of them but once again, the explosion sent them flying. Harry fell on top of Malfoy but ignored his ranting and stood up as fast as he could. Both hooded figures were now facing him, the other one, taller than its companion, had apparently finished drinking the Unicorn's blood.

An arrow flew from behind Harry and struck the small cloaked figure on the shoulder and in return, she sent a dark green spell that struck a tree behind the boys. Three centaurs leapt in front of them and charged against the two hooded figures. Their opponents were caught off guard and disappeared silently into thin air leaving a trail of smoke.

"Thank you" said Harry bowing when the three centaurs approached. He didn't what had got him to do that but at the moment it seemed the right thing to do. Even more surprising was that Draco mimicked the gesture, followed by their wolf-friend.

"Troubled times these are" said the first one. His skin was dark and the hair on his horse body was a light brown "My name is Olen"

"But you have proven to be brave children" said the second one, whose name they already know "I am called Firenze"

"And I am Barok, leader of our Clan" said the third one. He had a long, silvery hair that fell on his back and his pelage was a light gray. His strong body had several cuts and scars, and his voice was deep and a sort of authority in it. Harry and Draco bowed each time the centaurs presented themselves.

"You must be the Potter boy" said Firenze and with a calculating stare he inspected Draco "You look familiar boy, what is your name"

"I'm Draco, sir" he answered bowing "Draco Malfoy"

The three centaurs took a step back and growled.

"We have met your father before, boy" said Olen "I'm not sure of why are you in the forest, specially with the Potter boy. I suggest you explain"

"Your father doesn't think… highly of us" growled Firenze "He wants to treat us like common mules"

Malfoy opened his eyes widely and started shaking and took a step back. Three menacing centaurs armed with bows and swords accusing you of mistreat ought to scare anyone.

"I… I…" he stuttered and gulped "I'm not like him"

With all the confidence he could muster, he straightened and bowed again to the three centaurs.

"And I owe my life to you"

"Very well…" said Olen "We shall see how you turn out young one"

The wolf then sat down next to Harry and leaned down. The centaurs looked at the beast and huffed.

"You have made friends with the _Khaal'an"_ said Olen "It is impressive I must say. It usually takes years to form a relationship between humans and one of the keepers of the forest. These beast… they are different from normal wolfs and werewolves. They are smart… and proud, even the young ones. You must have made quite the impression…"

"We respected his life" said Harry scratching the back of his ears "And in turn he respected ours"

"Mars light shines strongly this night" said Barok "It's imperative that you leave the forest for now, it's not safe"

"We can't leave without Rob" said Harry nervously "Did you see where he fell? He was struck with a shield shattering curse and he was thrown backwards"

"There is no time to look for your friend" said Firenze "Harry Potter, why do you think the unicorn was killed for"

"It prolongs the life of the drinker" said Malfoy "But you are cursed for all your life if you drink it. It… it is worse than death"

"Wise you are Draco Malfoy…" said Barok solemnly "If you know that the price of taking the life such a pure creature is greater than losing your own."

"But who'd be that desperate?" Harry wondered aloud. "Who could possibly want to be cursed for eternity?"

Firenze agreed, "Perhaps, because all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else — something that will bring you back to full strength and power — something that will mean you can never die. Harry Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course — the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who —"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

"No…. It can be" said Harry frightened. But… it made sense. The pain… the pain on his scar. It was the only reminder of the death curse that Voldemort sent that night eleven years before. And when he found himself in front of the Dark Lord , the curse scar had reacted. And the unicorns are keeping him alive. That is why he's looking for the Sorcerer's Stone, he is _alive_.

"You mean…" said Draco pointing at the spot where the two cloaked figures had been a moment before "_That_ was Voldemort. But… but… my father would know if he was alive. Therefore I would know…"

"What does that mean Draco" said Harry angrily and scowled at him.

"I…." said Draco and sighed "My father he… he is one of his old followers, and I have seen what he can do. Mother has tried to stop him, but in her heart she knows he will always be a Death Eater. But that is why I'm confused"

"The answer is simple, young Malfoy" said Olen.

"_His _companion was not a Death Eater" Firenze growled "She was an equal, member of an old enemy. One that was long forgotten"

"And why hasn't he contacted the Death Eaters" said Malfoy "They would have helped him"

"Malfoy, you surprise me" said Harry "I thought you were… well"

"What Potter?" said Draco "Evil?"

"Well… yes"

Malfoy sighed "My father wants me to be… but I can't. And on top of that he wants me to keep an image, you know? The pureblood Slytherin image that can walk over anyone and anything, that's what he wants me to be. And I tried… but I'm not fooling anyone… The Valari have already noticed"

"Then don't try" said Harry "You don't have to be like your father"

"Well said Harry Potter" said Barok "It is not blood that defines us… it is our actions. Today you have faced the Dark Lord himself and you have done it alongside the one who brought him down. According to your father you should have killed him but still you are on his side. And yet the enemy of your father… of Lord Voldemort saved you... In your heart you must seek what is right."

"I see…" said Draco anxiously "But… I don't know what to do... he is my father!"

"You must choose, young one" said Olen "It will not be an easy decision, but it must be done"

Harry then understood the behavior of the Slytherin boy. He was torn in between following his father's orders, or living the way he wanted.

"Draco" said Harry "You don't have to choose right now. And if you are to become my enemy you better prepare" he finished and smirked.

"Children, you must continue this conversation elsewhere" said Firenze "They could be back in any moment. It's not safe."

"I'm not leaving without Robert" said Harry "And that's _my_ decision. He is my friend and Dumbledore's grandson. I will not leave him, especially if Voldemort is lurking around."

"Dumbledore you say?" Barok asked "We will aid you in your quest then, young ones. And what do you say Draco Malfoy. Will you stay and help Potter find his friend?"

"I will" said Malfoy without hesitation.

"Then let's begin" said Firenze "Which direction?"

Khelek then rose up and howled. In a quick jump he signaled the two boys and the centaurs to follow him. On their path, several trees had been broken and splintered, and the wolf sniffed the trails of the lost Gryffindor.

"He has found his trace" said Firenze "I must say I will be impressed if the boy survived all the way, if he made all this mess."

Harry didn't know how, but he knew he was still alive. Just like in the hospital, he know Rob would be fine, even if he had been thrown a hundred feet away. Khelek then raised his head and quickened the pace, and the three centaurs and the boys followed.

"He's a tough guy if he survived this" said Draco "By the way, how did you know those spells? Quirrel hasn't taught them."

"And I doubt he ever will, Malfoy" said Harry nervously "Maybe another time. I just hope Hagrid and the others don't run into Voldemort"

* * *

A/N: Hey! PLease leave review and tell me what you think about the story so far :)


	12. The Cave and The centaurs

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

**Chapter 12: The Cave and The Centaurs**

The sound of drops falling echoed throughout the old chamber, its walls covered with dust and filth, and the floor cracked and broken throughout the many years since its construction. Several broken and tattered columns barely maintained the stability of the room. The only light inside came from the large opening from which the small boy had fallen moments before. Slowly, the boy recovered and attempted to get up, but to no avail - he had injured his ankle during the fall. He managed to lean to the wall and carefully stood up. He started coughing and dust flew everywhere.

His first thought was to climb up back, but the walls had no ledges and his injury wasn't helping. The boy sighed and raised his wand, sending red sparks through the gap, hoping that maybe Harry or Hagrid could see them.

"_Lumos"_ the boy muttered, and a small, white light appeared on the tip of his wand.

The lone light was enough to illuminate most of the room. The floor, once a white, polished marble, had now turned a dull gray along with the walls. Pointing to every end of the room, the boy looked for another way out, but was unsuccessful. With much effort, he took a couple of steps as he continued his search for any escape route.

'_Will a Portkey work in Hogwarts grounds?' _The boy thought.

He remembered then that Hermione had told them once that a Portkey from Hogwarts could only be created by the headmaster, and disregarded the idea. After sending two burst of sparks through the opening on the ceiling, Robert had to lean to the wall once again. The gap then began closing, and a stone plaque separated the boy from the surface. Sighing, the boy began walking and started searching for another exit. On the farthest part of the room, a doorway led to a long hallway, with several rooms on both sides. In a quick glance he checked and every single one was either empty or completely collapsed. He reached for his ankle trying to massage it but it was still too sore and the pain was bothering him. Remembering one of the spells of the book, he pointed his wand at his ankle, hoping it would work.

"_Fendia"_

The pain lessened a bit, but he was able to walk without leaning to the wall. He then reached another hall much bigger than the first one. A stairway led to a lower level and the ceiling was more than ten feet high. Several patterns could be seen on the floor and the walls. He approached the center, but the light of his wand wasn't enough to light not even half of the hall. Waving his wand he muttered another spell.

"_Lumos Radix"_

A ball of light similar to the one of his wand shot to the ceiling and illuminated a portion of the hall. Robert repeated the spell several more times until the whole circular hall was lightened up. In the center, engraved on the ground were two circles and eight triangular marks pointing from the center to every direction. He leaned down and touched the circular mark, but nothing happened. Between the two circles, there were several symbols that were familiar, although unlike anything he had ever seen. Several tiles were broken and big chunks of the ceiling were lying on the ground. Evading the whole disaster, Robert walked towards the wall that had a strange pattern.

On closer inspection, Robert noticed that the walls had engraved many symbols, identical to the ones in the Book of Magic. The boy frowned and reached for the book on his bag. The reaction was instant.

A small trail of light started pouring from the floor and began spreading, forming lines, circles and curves. After a couple of moments, the light formed a pattern and the boy opened his eyes wide when he realized it was the same symbol from the cover of the book, surrounded by the two circles. As if on cue the book produced a low, ringing tone, like the first time he set his hands on it. Taking a deep breath, the boy opened it.

The ground began shaking and a large stone from the middle of the room began rising slowly. He carefully approached the pedestal, which was just high enough for him to see the top. The stone had engraved in the center, the exact same symbols and patterns from the book. Around it, the stone had eight triangular marks pointing in every direction. Nervously, the boy raised the book and hesitantly put it on the corresponding marks. The ringing tone increased and the book emitted a soft blue glow. The boy shielded his eyes from the increasing light and a few moments later, the light subdued and Robert risked a glance.

On each of the eight markings a white and blue shadow figure stood looking intently at him. All of them were hooded and cloaked in a similar white cloak with blue glowing symbols on them. Some of them were clad in marvelous shining armors. Directly in front of him and the pedestal, one of them, a man carried on his right hand a book and in his other hand a staff. Robert looked at the book that he had laid down and the book the man was holding and realized they were the same.

* * *

"Rob!" Harry hollered, hoping that his friend was all right.

The three centaurs and the boys had followed the wolf, tracking his companion's smell, only to find a strange looking stone tile where the trail ended. Was there a path under the stone? Was Robert trapped? Not even with the help of the horse-men they were they able to move it, and they decided to continue their search on the surroundings.

"Old place, the Forbidden forest is" had said Barok "It holds many mysteries from ancient times that we shouldn't meddle with."

He glanced sideways, looking at Draco. The pale boy was looking grim, gazing at the ground as he walked and deeply immersed in his thoughts. Half hour ago, the boy had confessed that he didn't trust his father… but Harry knew that kind of look. He had grown used to it… it was the look that Rob always had. It was a look that said that he had seen things that a boy his age should have never seen.

"Are you ok, Draco?" asked Harry "you are awfully quiet for being and insufferable Slytherin"

Malfoy chuckled softly and shook his head.

"It just…" he said apprehensively "There are some… things that I don't want to discuss just yet. Don't worry I _will_ help you. I'm tired of following my dad's steps."

"Why?" asked Harry truly concerned.

"Let's just say that he is not a nice man" said Draco he said while kicking a stone on the ground, "I don't want to talk about it really."

"That's okay" said Harry looking at the three centaurs, "These guys look… you know, kind of scary"

"I once heard my father say that the ministry couldn't manage to 'evacuate the filthy half-breeds'," Draco said mimicking the quotation marks.

"What did you say, boy?" snarled Olen "Have I heard correctly?"

Draco looked petrified.

"No… I didn't mean…" the boy stuttered "It was something my dad said" he added staring at the ground, "Don't hurt me, please"

The centaur was taken aback. He had personally met Lucius Malfoy once, when Ministry wizards attempted to drive their clan away from the Forest. Many of their clan had lost their lives, but with the help of Dumbledore, they had pushed the wizards' force back. But this boy looked different… scarred perhaps?

"I won't hurt you boy…" said Olen grabbing the boys shoulders "Our people isn't fond of the names your kind give us. I'd suggest not using it in front of others. They might not be as understanding as I have been"

Harry approached and started walking next to Draco, not saying a single word. The Slytherin and The Gryffindor had reached a mutual, silent agreement when they stared at each other's eyes. They wouldn't pry in each other's matters unless they wanted to speak about them.

"Come, children" called Firenze from a few yards ahead "Looks like the wolf-guardian has found something come quick!"

The two boys ran up a small hill, where the two other centaurs were waiting for them. A few feet ahead, Khelek was sniffing the ground, walking in circles. Harry looked behind. They were already too far from the spot where they had last seen the red sparkles. Was Robert kidnapped by Voldemort?

"It seems that your friend was here" said Barok "But the trail leads to another dead end"

"Is there a chance that Voldemort got to him?" asked Draco

"I am uncertain young Malfoy" answered Barok.

Harry then felt the sensation of being watched, and looked back. Only darkness and trees surrounded them, He breathed deeply, but couldn't shrug off the feeling, and continued looking around. It was like time had stopped.

In a split second, Olen had jumped in front of him to protect him from a dark violet curse that was sent from the darkness of the forest. The spell impaled the centaur and he started convulsing on the ground. A high pitched laugh echoed throughout the forest. Harry leaned down to attend to the centaur, but it was too late. Draco and the other Centaurs approached. While the Slytherin boy looked even paler, the two horse-men looked furious.

"Step forth monster and fight us!" bellowed Firenze

Harry didn't waste any more time and raised his wand at the precise moment another curse was sent towards them.

"_Tinechor"_

The violet spell was ricocheted into the sky, and the attacker finally came forward. It was the same cloaked woman who had been with Voldemort before. Harry felt a shiver course through his spine and his only reaction was to jump left when a gray looking spell threatened to shatter his shield. Two arrows flew towards the woman who quickly disregarded them. But she wasn't expecting a red bolt that Malfoy had sent, and she was launched back, disappearing into the darkness. The two boys and the centaurs finally breathed when the attacks ceased. Barok slowly walked to the fallen Centaur body and leaned down. Whispering a few words, he closed his eyes and prayed to the skies.

"Until we meet again, old friend"

Harry was frozen. How many more would have to die to protect him? It was enough; he would find a way so no more lives would be lost because of him. Draco patted his shoulder and approached Olen. He took his bow and his sword and bowing down, he offered them to the Centaurs comrades. The horse-men bowed and accepted the weapons. Suddenly the ground began shaking and a gap formed right below Harry. Draco tried to catch him but it was too late.

* * *

"Welcome _Val'Istar_" the man spoke in a deep voice "I see you have found your way to the _Men'Annon_. Centuries has it awaited for the heirs' arrival_"_

"Hmm…" said a woman, her voice echoing throughout the hall "The two of you were supposed arrive together, along with the other _nost'Au_ _Ainur_."

"What do you mean by _nos... nosto…_ whatever?" the boy asked.

"The chosen" bellowed another man "Together they are one"

"Er… right…" said Rob confused "what about Harry… why can he read the book too?"

"He must be one of the _Ainur,_ thus, he was given the gift of sight" said another man, who had crossed his arms,

"The other boy is close" said a man clad in a marvelous armor "We should bring him"

The others nodded and muttered something to themselves. Robert had to lean to the stone pedestal when the whole room began shaking and a gap opened in the ceiling. A figure then fell through it and Robert had a split second to react.

"_Wingardium Leviosa"_

The figure stopped in mid air, and he immediately recognized the boy's voice, as he put him down softly.

"Harry?" Robert asked "Is that you?"

"Rob!" his friend yelled "We have been looking for you!"

Harry and Rob ran to each other and hugged quickly. That was when Harry noticed the eight figures around them and frowned. Taking a look at his surroundings only made him more confused.

"What is this place?" he asked Robert

"I don't know…" he replied truthfully "They called it the Menennon"

"_Men'Annon"_ corrected one of the women "Welcome young _Ainu"_

If anything, Harry was even more confused. Robert then explained him the little that the eight figures had told him and assured him that they could be trusted.

"You mean that we were…_chosen?_" asked Harry apprehensively.

"That's what they say" he answered.

Harry then turned around looking at the eight figures. If their eyes could be seen, they would surely be piercing right through him. The eight stood solemnly around the stone pedestal, over the symbol of the book. Everything felt like a dream to him. Somehow, he expected to wake up under the cupboard at Privet Drive with the screech of his aunt Petunia. Then, Harry got a feeling on his mind, much like a headache but still different.

"I'm afraid you are not dreaming, young one" said a woman calmly.

"It was you, wasn't it?" said Harry pointing at her "I felt you reading my mind"

"Impressive" said another one "He has already learnt the basics of Occlumency"

"I apologize for the intrusion" said the woman.

Robert looked at Harry and then at the man with the book. He had many questions, and he assumed that the man was the leader of the group, since he was the one who always talked to him.

"Who are you people?" he asked suspiciously "What do you want of us?"

"All in…" the man started but was interrupted by another who had a sword on his hands, resting on the ground.

"Old man, isn't it time we told the boys something?"

"I suppose he's right, old friend" said another one.

"Do I look _that_ old… or are you both mocking me?" the man asked.

"Concentrate" said one of the women "We should at least introduce ourselves"

The rest of the figures nodded and began taking off their hoods. Harry and Rob gasped when they saw the faces of the figures. They looked like statues, but their eyes shone brightly, devoid of any shape. They felt what could only be explained as raw power emanating from them. The first man indeed looked old, similar to Dumbledore, he had a long white beard and his hair fell down to his shoulder. He wore no glasses and he held firmly to his staff and the book.

"I am know by many names through the world" explained the old man in a deep and strong voice "The _white_ one as a legend of the old folk, Myrddin Emrys, in many countries, Merlinus Ambrosius in latin legend… but I usually go by Merlin"

Harry and Rob gaped. They had actually thought about it… but to actually hear it was a completely different thing. He was supposed to be the most powerful wizard from all times. The highest rewards were given in the name of this old man. And here he was, in front of them, in some kind of projection of a memory, centuries after his disappearance.

"How do we know it's true?" asked Rob.

"I wrote the book" the man answered "You have read its title, and the book has presented me to you and your friend. I don't have further proof than this."

"Don't worry about him" said the man to his left. His voice was rather juvenile, but still held the same power behind it, "He always gets ticked off when someone doesn't acknowledge him"

The two boys watched him closely. He was wearing a white armor and his sword shone brightly in the room. When he wielded it, it produced a soft metallic echo and it had the book's symbol engraved on its blade. The man's hair was almost as long as Merlin's and his face held the youth of a young man, but his voice was strong and full of knowledge.

"You may have heard of me before" he began "My name is Arthur, Lord of Camelot"

"Always must you address your title, don't you, young Arthur" said the man to Merlin's right His voice wasn't as jovial as Arthur, but still couldn't match Merlin's age. This man looked like a strong, smart leader as well. Harry and Rob frowned when the man took off his hood. He was too clad in armor, not as strong looking as Arthur's. It appeared to be lighter, and it didn't cover his entire body. On his left hand he had a metallic glove with Merlin's symbol and a blue diamond the middle. On his right hand he had a white wand. But what called their attention the most was the slightly short messy hair – it somehow looked very familiar…

"My name is Edric Wyatt Potter" he stated clearly "It's an honor to finally meet my own kin"

Harry felt dizzy, it surely must be a joke… but the man looked a lot like him, he couldn't deny it. The same facial features, messy hair and a bit scrawny. He couldn't bear it, he wanted to laugh, cry, and scream. In front of him stood one of his ancestors, smiling like it was the most natural thing in the world. Robert had his eyes open wide.

"My my…" said Merlin "You surely made an impression in your great-great-great-great-great….hmm I can't remember how many generations it was, Edric, care to remind an old man?"

"Thirteen" stated his ancestor clearly "It is a curse, this hair, don't you think? It looks better to have it long like your friend Dumbledore here."

Harry tried to smile but he was still to shaken up. He slowly approached the man and in return, Edric kneeled to reach Harry's height. His chest contracted, holding the air inside it as if time itself had frozen. He could practically feel his heartbeat echoing in his ears. Harry stretched his hand and reached for the man's face but it was hollow.

"I'm sorry, I'm not really here, son" said Edric "And I'm sorry about your family. I'm sure your mom and dad are proud of you. "

"But… what are you doing here?" asked Harry confused "I… why haven't you looked for me… are you even alive?"

"I passed on a long time ago, child" the old Potter said "But I assure you we have looked out for you"

"Sorry to cut your time short Edric" said a woman next to him "But our time is short and we have many issues to attend"

The woman wore a white linen cloak and dark long hair. Her face was young and radiant and she held her hands with her fingers intertwined.

"I am Verona Ravenclaw" she said bowing lightly at the two children "And I foresaw your arrival centuries ago. That is why we were expecting both of you"

"Ravenclaw?" Rob asked "As in Hogwarts' Ravenclaw?"

"I am afraid not, it was actually my niece Rowena who was inclined for teaching" the woman said "I was more inclined to other matters…"

"That we will speak of when the other _Ainur_ arrive, Verona" said the other man "But where are my matters? My name is Allanon"

Allanon was seven feet tall, with shaggy eyebrows, long flat nose, and a penetrating stare. Harry felt a bit intimidated by him, as he had a darker cloak and a skull necklace. Still, the man wore a reassuring smile. Surely if the man was among them he wasn't going to hurt him or Rob. Although he didn't quite understand who were those people and what did they want.

"You are scaring the children Allanon" said another woman. She was clad in a white vest, carved with the symbols of the book. The armor covered only one of her shoulders and the other was bare. She had long beautiful blonde hair pulled in a tail, with several strands falling in front, and was not as tall as neither of the men to her sides. In her back she carried a silver bow and a quiver and on her waist several long daggers were attached to her belt. When Rob and Harry looked at her, they blushed and had to look down. The woman giggled softly, and her voice echoed through the room.

"I am Nimueh, young ones" she said.

"The lady of the lake?" asked Rob

"Well, the legends are not that accurate, but yes, you could say I am" she stated

"She always get the stares of men, even the ones as young as you, children" said the man next to her. Like Merlin, he wore a white beard and a linen cloak. But instead of wielding powerful weapons, the man had only a book.

"I'm known as Dallben, guardian of the _Book of Three_" the man said. "But that will be a story for another time"

"You and your stories, Dallbie" said the last woman mockingly "Fortunately we don't have the time for them. My name is Aer"

If anything, the woman looked more like a supermodel warrior rather than a witch. As Arthur, she wore a heavy armor in white and silver. Symbols of the book marked on the hem of the powerful vest, and she wielded a long, powerful blade and a wand. She had long unruly and untamed hair but she was by far the most beautiful of the three women, with a slender and curvy figure. Merlin then spoke, calling their attention once again.

"This is a secret society that was formed a millennia ago to maintain peace in the muggle and wizard world. We were known as the _Nim'Vahka,_ 'The White guardians", in the old times. The main objective of this society was to stop an enemy so dreadful that its name was concealed from the rest of the humankind. It was an age of terror… when war raged throughout the entire planet. Too many lost their lives... When the foe was defeated, its followers rose and took its place. These supporters took the name then of Snake Lords, and for the past centuries they have been searching for the meanings of reviving their old master. They are the ones after you _Ainur."_

"Why?" bellowed Harry "We have nothing to do with that war!"

"On the contrary, my son" said Eldric "You are the last of my lineage. Since the fall from the monster we have fought to defeat the Snakes, thus, we are sworn enemies from their faction"

"And what about me?" asked Rob "And the other _Ainur_ or whatever you call them… what do we have to do with the war? Why were we chosen?"

Merlin sighed and looked apologetically at the boy.

"It was not a coincidence that Dumbledore adopted you, child" he said "Nor was a coincidence that my book arrived at your hands. You both have a power hidden within that could either bring peace in earth for an age or doom it for eternity. That power you share with your brother, it's the only thing that can stop them."

"What are you talking about" asked Rob. This was getting more and more confusing and he felt rage build inside him. "What do you want of us, why do these things happen to us? Who is my brother?!"

"Your destiny was written long before you were born, I'm afraid" said Ravenclaw "We merely took precaution for you to be ready when the time comes"

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Harry in confusion "Rob has a brother? Why don't you tell him who he is? How can we even fight an enemy so terrible? We are just kids!"

"Robert Dumbledore has to find out who he is first" said Allanon in a powerful, deep voice. "Only then, will his brother be revealed. In time you will understand the reason behind all our decisions. You were separated because the enemy would have found you, should you have been together; that much I can say."

"There is something you need to do before you return, child" said Eldric "Only when you free yourself from the burden you carry will you be able to seize all the potential within"

"I see…" said Robert thoughtful "So I must free the Ifrit before I come here, _again?_"

"Indeed" said the eight at the same time.

"Easier said than done, mates" said Rob taking a deep breath "Great, what else?"

"The other requirement for you to return is to bring the _Ainur._"

"Hmm… how many of them are they?" asked Harry confused.

"Eight we always are" said Aer holding her sword in both hands.

"We're sorry, child. Their identity is for you to discover…" said Dallben.

"Once your immediate tasks are complete and you bring the heirs to this room"

"But…" said Robert anxiously "how are we going to find it again?"

"You have awoken one of the beacons, and only the _Ainur_ can see them. Even if blind, it will show you the way back to this chamber."

Merlin then sighed and Robert raised an eyebrow. Harry just couldn't get hold of what this people were saying.

"You have been forced to undertake a burden of a colossal magnitude at such an early age… and all because of a war that should have been ended ages ago…" the old man announced.

"You remind me of _pops_ old man" said Robert, and sighed "Don't worry, we'll our best and I'm sure my brother will too, if I ever find him that is. Of course it will be easier if you people weren't so cryptic"

The group of eight laughed.

"Well you still have the humor of a young child, in spite of having seen the horrors of the war" one of them said.

"That means that there is still hope for everyone. Now you have taken the first step towards your journey. It will be a harsh, difficult path the one you are taking. I am aware you have innumerable questions, children" another continued.

"But this is not the time for answers. The book that was given to you will become your guide throughout your journey. Your destiny lies ahead. Danger awaits the heirs… for the _Snakes_ have awakened. Be prepared, and help the others as they will help you. Now, leave boys… your companions are looking for you."

The man with the book then struck his staff and the eight of them vanished and the book's blue light disappeared with them. The ground shook again and a spiral stairway rose from the rock, slowly making its way through the gap in the ceiling. Harry and Robert looked at each other, at loss of words, and glanced upwards to the ceiling, wondering what the words of the old fellows meant.

"_Radix Nox"_

The lights that he had created returned to the wand and disappeared.

"Cool" said Harry "Looks like you got Hermione's spell right mate! Let's leave this place is giving me the creeps."

After they climbed up and exit the hidden room, and by the time they looked back, the gap had been sealed with a stone plate engraved with the symbol of the book. Harry leaned down and tried to open it, but the plate became heavier and heavier.

"Oh well… I guess it will have to wait" said Robert, raising his wand to send another burst of red sparks. A howl was heard from the distance and the boys chuckled softly.

But instead of the wolf and his friends, they heard hooves coming rapidly. Not sure if they wanted to know what was approaching, an idea popped in Rob's mind. Putting the wand on his forehead he muttered a spell, followed then by Harry.

"_Ledrith"_

Not a minute later, two heavily armed centaurs appeared, clad in strong looking iron vests. One of them had long blonde hair and hazel eyes, his horse-half a palomino light brown hair. His companion had dark skin and his head shaved, his mustang body covered in black hair. When they were a mere two feet away from the now invisible boys, they began sniffing. Nodding to one another they swiftly grabbed they bows and launched an arrow at Harry and Rob.

"_Tinechor" _said Harry hastily, skillfully blocking both projectiles.

"Show yourself, intruder!" bellowed the dark skinned centaur aiming at the disillusioned boy. Robert raised an eyebrow and both boys canceled the spell. The pair of centaurs huffed and kicked the ground, taken by surprise by the sight in front of them. The small boys had been able to cast in a split second, a shield enough to cover both of them. A blue energy disk hummed in front of Robert, as Harry shielded himself in a behind a red one.

"Don't shoot please" said Harry canceling the shield and bowing humbly. "We're students from the school. We were looking for my friend here who was thrown by a curse and fell to a pit hole. I managed to fall in the same cave where he was. We apologize for having startled you; we were just trying to hide"

"Students, you say?" asked the blond one, and bowed to the young child "Few wizards could be able to cast such a powerful spell without any advice beforehand. My name is Benon."

"And my name is Kemar" said the dark centaur "I'm impressed young ones… we would not have been able to find you, had it not been because you have been with a _Khaal'An. _We can smell you from ten feet away."

"_Khaal'An?" _ asked Robert confused "I haven't met someone with that name"

"Oh... but you certainly have" replied the mighty looking centaur "Have you not encountered the wolf-guardians of the forest?"

"Now that you mention it… yes we have" said Harry chuckling. "Oh by the way… I forgot… My name is Harry Potter, and this is Robert Dumbledore… pleasure to meet you"

"Dumbledore and Potter you say?" said Benon surprised "You are the ones that Barok is looking for… it's imperative you come with us Robert Dumbledore and Harry Potter"

The two centaurs looked at each other and nodded. Before Robert could understand what was happening, Benon had grabbed his hand and put him on his back, and Kemar followed suit with Harry. The two centaurs then took off into the forest. Robert barely managed to hold himself from the armor of the blonde centaur, but he didn't fail to notice both horse-men were at the ready, having unsheathed their swords. He frowned when he saw this and felt the evil presence once again.

"The night has yet to end, young ones" said Kemar, with a smile on his face, eager to enter in battle.

The two centaurs increased their speed, as if charging against an unseen enemy. That was when Robert saw it…. A figure in the darkness, moving rapidly; almost like if it was floating. Both boys reached for their own wands and before the two centaurs could notice what happened a dark green jolt was being blocked by Harry's shield.

The figure flew backwards and unsheathed its own sword on the distance and charged against the centaurs. The sound of blades echoed in the forest, as Benon charged against the cloaked figure, which was indeed floating in front of the horse-man, charging its dark sword as well. The force was so intense that the blonde centaur had to slow down. An arrow then flew, impaling the attacker on its back and a high pitched scream was heard throughout the forest. That's when Rob saw a portion the woman's face, but he couldn't make out anything aside her mouth. And he opened his eyes in shock.

The woman then vanished only to reappear several feet farther, taking out the arrow from her back.

"Leave the forest, creature of the night!" hollered Kemar as he pointed his bow once again to the cloaked woman "There is no place in here for your kind"

Harry watched as the woman slowly took out her wand. That's when he noticed that everything had slowed down. Ignoring the fact that time had almost stopped the boy didn't hesitate and sent one of the slowing curses he had heard his grandfather do months ago.

"_Impedimenta" _the boy hollered, striking the woman by surprise. She was then sent flying a few feet backwards, but quickly recovered. The woman then sent a couple of spells that were blocked by Harry's shield. But then a purple jolt in the form of a dart managed to scratch the dark skinned centaur, who in returned sent a couple of arrows. The attacker disappeared once again and returned just behind Harry. He saw as the dark sword was swung against him and closed his eyes, but a metallic clang told him that Benon had managed to cover them from the fatal blow. With the rest of the strength he had, Kemar launched a well aimed arrow, but was blocked by the cloaked woman who had to back down several feet.

It was then that Robert felt his eyes change and power flow through his veins. The attacker cocked her heard and it appeared that she was smirking. But it was quickly wiped off when the attack from the boy came.

"_Naur: Daenor Anmegil" _

A torrent of fire came out Robert's wand and struck the woman directly. Benon took advantage of the moment and sent a few arrows before taking off at full speed carrying Kemar on his arms and the two boys in his back. Robert then noticed that the other centaur had fainted and was starting to convulse. Another high pitched scream was heard in the forest.

"We'll help you" said Robert while pointing his wand at the fallen centaur. With the combined strength of the two children, they were able to levitate Kemar.

"_Mobilicorpus"_

Harry risked a glance back but the presence was completely gone. Sighing, he felt the adrenaline rushing out his body. After fifteen minutes of riding with the centaur and taking Kemar floating, the group of four arrived at a clearing. When the horse-man came to halt, Robert noticed that they were not alone. At least five dozens of centaurs were gathered around a group of people, but when the centaurs noticed the arrival of Benon and Kemar, everyone felt silent.

"What is the meaning of this" bellowed a black haired and bodied centaur, with a long dark mane. "Your son is behaving like a common mule as well, Barok!"

"Kemar is heavily injured Father" hollered Benon "He is been struck with some kind of poison"

A centaur approached and tried a few herbs and remedies but they weren't of any use. Kemar began gasping for air, his lungs closing because of the venom. Several other centaurs tried many other remedies but nothing seemed to help the agonizing Centaur.

Robert and Harry finally looked behind the centaur called Barok and saw Hagrid along with all his companions. At least no one had been badly injured, apart from some scratches. When they caught Ron's stare, both boys nodded, earning a confused stare from Draco. Hermione and Neville were quite nervous, being surrounded by a dozen centaurs themselves. Ignoring the stare of the whole Centaur clan, Hermione took a step and raised her voice.

"I can help him"

A few centaurs looked at each other and laughed it off. But after a couple moments that their doctor's efforts were in vain, they looked at the girl and opened way for her to approach their fallen brother. She quickly approached him and took a small object from her cloak.

"Open his mouth" she asked one of the Centaurs "He must swallow this"

After the horse-man obliged and Hermione forced Kemar to take her remedy, the Centaur stopped convulsing and started breathing normally. He looked at Hermione and nodded and with a simple spell, Hermione closed his wound.

"What was that Hermione" asked Ron when the girl returned to her friends

"Remember Snape's first class?" she replied smirking.

"Of course!" said Neville "A bezoar Hermione! pretty smart of you! Where did you get it?"

"Room of Requirement" she stated simply.

Whisperings began between the rest of the centaur Clan and an argument erupted. But not before Kemar whispered his thanks to the young witch.

"We have discussed this Bane, This time is different" replied calmly the leader of the Centaurs.

"If I may have a word father" said Benon, who had become the target of the centaurs piercing stares, as well as another centaur a couple of feet away, namely the one that they met before: Firenze.

The whole centaur clan became silent, but before the leader's son could speak, a howl was heard from behind the centaurs and Khelek came running towards Rob, who had barely managed to dismount Benon. Rob and Harry suddenly felt the stare of sixty centaurs on him and shuddered. Nevertheless they bowed before the leader of the Centaur clan without hesitation.

"My name is Robert Dumbledore and this is my friend Harry, Harry Potter" said the boy "And you shouldn't punish Benon or Kemar, we were attacked and forced to flee…"

"The Dumbledore boy you say?" asked Barok in a deep voice "We have been searching for you, young one, it is an honor to meet you. I already had the honor of meeting Harry Potter during our search for you" he said bowing.

Both boys then walked and stood with the other five students and thanked Barok for helping them.

"What is the difference!?" said Bane "They look at us as mere donkeys that serve under their command."

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this for est, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

"Do not question my word young one" Bane replied angrily "Remember that I'm second to Barok and not because you are in my sister's house will you be tolerated for such inappropriate behavior. The same goes for Benon"

"As I remind you, Bane" said Barok calmly "I'm aware of the actions of both Firenze and Olen. I ordered them to carry the children. As for Benon, I'm certain that he had a good reason for breaking our rules"

"What could be a reason of such importance that they had to break a hundred years of traditions?" hollered a centaur behind them, and many other followed. Gathering all the courage she could muster, Hermione raised her wand and waved it complexly, and Harry and Rob smirked.

"_Silencio Defero"_ she muttered and the whole centaur clan became quiet, but only in words. The tumult created made the ground shook, but the leader managed to calm them down and allowed the girl to cancel the spell.

"_Finite Incantatem"_

"Who are these Children?" hollered Bane "Long has been the time since a witch was able to put a curse on all of us at once. I believe Dumbledore was the last one who managed to achieve it. How dare you silence us girl?"

"If I may speak, father" interrupted Benon once again "There are more pressing matters than me and Firenze carrying children on our backs"

"Speak then, young one" said Bane "what could possibly be so troubling"

"There was a second evil" replied Benon "One of the enemies of old. I believe the skies have been misread. They didn't announce the coming of the second war, but the return of…_them_"

The whole clan backed down a few steps, centaur children and women gasped and some even cried. Several centaur warriors kicked the ground in anger and some elder ones huffed or crossed their arms and looked into the night sky.

"I have seen it as well, Bane" said Barok "but I didn't believe that it was the old enemy, how can you be certain"

"Because she was a vampire" said Robert, raising his voice "Am I right?"

The whole clan went silent.

"Is that true?" said Barok "A vampire in the forest without our knowing?"

Benon and Kemar nodded and began telling how they had found the two missing boys and how they had helped them escape the creature of the night. When they finished, Barok sent several groups of warriors to every point of the Forest, ordering to follow the trail of dead unicorns or the surviving Unicorn herds. A bark from the wolf called his attention. Robert and Harry approached the beast, and Harry was the first to speak.

"He looked sad when we couldn't find you" Draco said.

"Have they befriended the wolf guardians? Only when they sense danger is near, the _Khaal'An _approaches a human" hollered Bane "Troubling times these are indeed, if vampires lurk in the forbidden forest. We will need all the help we can get. Children you must send word to Dumbledore that we have been advised already."

"We shall then escort the children to the castle" said Barok. A centaur then approached his leader and whispered something before taking off once again. "It seems that the Headmaster is already waiting for you on the edge…"

"This is bigger than we thought" whispered Ron to everyone else.

"I have never heard my father of Centaurs or Vampires entering in the wizarding wars…" said Malfoy "And I don't think it is a good idea to ask… he could get suspicious"

"I can't believe it, though" said Neville "In one night you two managed to make friends with the Centaurs and some magic wolf I had never heard of. That was _wicked_!"

Several Centaurs offered to take them on their backs, but the six children refused, and not even with three centaurs they would be able to carry Hagrid. The latter, had been quiet during the whole event and was beyond shocked. Not in his wildest dreams had he imagined that he would face the entire Centaur clan.

"Hagrid are you ok?" asked Harry

"Yea, I am" said the giant man "I can't believe those wretched things are in the forest yeh know?"

After that, a dozen centaurs escorted them, brandishing powerful swords, spears, bows and arrows. The centaur medic helped cure Robert's ankle fully with a bit of the Centaurs own magical powers, and he began walking again in no time.

On the way back, few words were exchanged, most from Hermione who questioned the Centaur leader about their ways and their traditions. Oddly enough, the centaur was honored that such a young Witch was interested in their affairs and he assured she would be welcomed into the forest anytime. The Centaur leader told them that they had already sent heralds to the clans on other parts of the country and the continent to pass on the news.

Robert was still curious as to why Draco was getting along with them, and by the suspicious look of the three other Gryffindors, apart from Harry, he assumed they didn't know was well. Harry explained what had happened, and Draco confessed how he felt about his father.

"There's more to it, isn't it?" asked Ron raising and eyebrow, but Draco just nodded.

"Well Draco" said Ron smirking "I never thought you felt like that. Now we have a spy in Slytherin"

"What?!" hollered Draco "I didn't say anything about that!"

"Did you see what those people can do?" asked Harry "What if the Valari are with them? Don't you want to be different from your father? You don't have to do anything you don't want, but it will be really helpful if someone could tell us beforehand of an attack on the other houses"

The Slytherin boy sighed and after several minutes of being immersed in his own thoughts he answered.

"I can tell you that the Valari's influence doesn't end with the Slytherin. They have many spies in the other houses as well. I don't know personally anyone from Gryffindor, but somehow they manage to know some of your house's moves. So be careful in whom you do trust"

"You can't be serious" said Hermione "Why would someone from Hufflepuff betray their own house, they are supposed to be loyal, and Ravenclaw are supposed to be smart."

It was the first time that Hermione spoke directly to Draco, and he lowered his head. He had called her several nasty names before but he was truly sorry and his eyes told it.

"Its okay" Hermione told him "I suppose that you were trying to keep that image right?"

"Yes…" said Draco sadly "I _am _sorry Hermione"

"See?" said Neville patting his shoulder "that's a first Draco, not calling people by their last name. You will be just fine"

Khelel barked announcing the arrival at the forest's edge. The tall, blue cloaked headmaster was waiting patiently and smiling brightly he greeted the Centaur leader and the wolf companion. The horse-man began recounting the events on the night and both of them arrived at an agreement of cooperation.

"Shall this alliance be the seed to grow into a great friendship between our kinds, Master Centaur" said Dumbledore shaking the centaur hands.

"We should meet soon, Headmaster" said Barok deeply, turning around and leading the escort back into the forest shadows.

Harry and the other students approached Khelel and scratched his ears before joining Dumbledore and Hagrid on their way back to the Castle.

"An interesting Night, don't you think kiddo?" asked Dumbledore with the spark on his eyes.

"Yes it was pops" Rob said, confused at the Headmaster cryptic statement.

"Everything all right Harry?" the elder asked with an unusual sparkle on his eyes.

"Yes, Professor, we're all right" he answered nervously.

"The centaurs were quite startled…" the headmaster said absent minded.

"It was Voldemort…" said Harry "He's the one killing the unicorns"

Dumbledore was quiet for a couple of moments as they walked back, but then stopped abruptly and turned to see his six students.

"I must ask you, Harry, not to go searching for him" he said in a whisper "We are not sure who how many allies he have and you're not ready. Do not return to the forbidden forest. I will see to this matter personally."

Harry and his companions nodded softly. Before they split up, Harry approached Draco.

"Meet us on Saturday, on the seventh floor in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy" the boy whispered, and Draco nodded in return before taking his leave to the dungeons.

Dumbledore escorted them to the Gryffindor common room, wishing them a good night's sleep before disappearing into the castle. Robert turned quickly and stopped them before they could go to their roommates.

"Come on, mate!" said Ron anxiously "It's already late, I need my sleep"

"We all know you need it" said Hermione rolling his eyes "But Rob says this is important so we should listen"

"Remember when we fell?" asked the headmaster's grandson.

"Yea, mate" said Ron "Harry here thought you were a goner; they couldn't find you anywhere."

"Well that's because when I was sent flying by the curse…"

When Robert and Harry finished telling their story, the faces of the rest of the Gryffindors would be hilarious if it hadn't been such a serious matter. Rob told them how he had opened the book and suddenly the room had come to life. He said that the eight people had said something about other heirs, and that Harry and he were two of them.

"By the way Hermione" said Robert smirking "Remember the charm you created? The multiple lights one? It worked…"

"Really?!" said Hermione ecstatic "That is two for two… did you see the multiple silencing one?"

"Yes Hermione" said Harry, rolling his eyes "It _was _pretty cool, the centaurs didn't know what hit them. So about that chamber…"

"I think we all should go in" said Robert "Just in case something happens to either one of us" he added pointing Harry "Who knows; perhaps you will learn a thing or two"

"And do you remember where that chamber was?" asked Hermione hopeful

"One of them said something about a beacon and something about the _Ainur _or whatever seeing it even when blind…." replied Robert "But the man also said that I needed to release the Ifrit… and I don't have any clue of how to do it…"

**A/N: I really hope you are enjoying the story. Please, feel free to leave any comments or critics of the fanfic! I want to thank everyone who has left reviews, Anyways chapter 13 is coming up soon!**


	13. The Seven Wards

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 13: The Seven wards**

In a cold night on the outskirts of a small town in which few people wandered the now isolated streets, a few lights poured from the usually empty tavern. Of course it was not any small town, it was the only fully wizarding village in all Britain, and therefore it wasn't unusual to see some of the wanderers to disappear out of thin air. The door on the old tavern was closed, a loose wooden sign swinging against the wind with the sign of 'Hog's Head' imprinted on it. Many voices could be heard whispering under their breaths, arguing between themselves.

"You must admit that it is quite unusual that a mere child could do such an advanced spell" stated a high pitched voice, followed by a furious bombardment of similar commentaries "It's possible the most incredible feat that a first year has achieved in all my years"

"Even more than being the youngest seeker ever chosen in 100 years?" a woman said in a serious voice "Not to mention that he and the other boys have successfully taken two trolls and defended their young schoolmates from…them"

The woman dare not name the cruel congregation of students that attacked every now and then. Only because their _family_ had paid the ministry enormous amount of money were they allowed to attend the school.

"One thing is to cast a '_Stupefy'_, Minerva, and another is to create a Portkey" interrupted another man in a deep voice "Even so, I agree with Filius, I find… troubling that this group of students has the abilities they have shown. I dare say I had never seen first year students so proficient in potion brewing, or charms for that matter."

"A praise coming from Severus Snape himself!" bellowed another woman "And in his very own subject. I look forward to meet these young students you speak of. My hope rest that they appreciate the arts of rune lore"

"Ye should 'av seen them with the centaurs" said another man "they talked 'bout the boys with respect! Not even the Headmaster 's done that before!"

"May I request to return to the matter at hand" said a calm, wise voice "Tonight's reunion was not to discuss about the disturbingly amazing feats of our young Gryffindors. It is the recent events that trouble me the most."

"Is that the reason that the Order has been summoned Albus?" snarled another man as he shifted in his wooden chair. Albus Dumbledore gazed upon his old mate, now retired Auror, and sighed. "You reckon that you-know-who is up to something, right? I always say it! CONSTANT VIGILANCE! Never know when the dark fellow might attack again, or any of the…"

"But… he isn't back, right?" asked another man, with ragged old clothes, straggly ginger hair and baggy eyes. "He can't be… the boy got rid of him! It can't be about him!"

"Well…" hesitated Dumbledore "Yes and No. I assure you that he isn't back… yet. However, this meeting is directly related to Voldemort."

Most of the people around the headmaster flinched at the mention of the dark lord. Even so, curiosity took the best of them and they all stayed put, waiting for an explanation.

"As I was saying" continued Dumbledore "The incident on Ottery St. Catchpole was not the first intent on the kids. Several hit wizards of the Magical Law Enforcement can confirm that the orphanage in which my now adopted grandson used to live was obliterated by the same group."

"And you trust them?" asked a now confused Severus Snape "Was this not done by stranded Death Eaters? I can't even grasp the idea of a single, non trained child being able to confront a group of you-know-who's followers, let alone some dark wizards from an unknown faction. Have you not thought that the boy could be a dark wizard himself?"

"He was there when they attacked Snape" said Remus Lupin from his withdrawn position "Dumbledore himself was witness of the murders committed that day half year ago"

"It was very ancient dark magic" said Dumbledore somberly "Magic I had just heard in rumors when I was but a student at Hogwarts… magic that I had only seen Voldemort himself use. The manner in which the muggles were killed… it was beyond terrible. During the war, most of us saw how Death Eaters used unforgivable curses to bring death and strike fear to anyone in their path. But they were stricken back with the same force. The ministry even allowed the use of unforgivable by the Aurors. Even so… the curses used in the orphanage… it's far too horrible to describe them. By the time I arrived, I could hear screams that not even a _cruciatus_ curse would be able to produce. And it came from children. I must confess, when the attackers left, and the orphanage was searched, I was afraid."

Everyone in the meeting trembled. Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of the century actually _feared_ what these… monsters could do.

"Yet, young Dumbledore was able to hold them off" stated Snape plainly "I find it quite odd, Albus"

"This isn't the only event that has got my attention Severus"

"Ah yes…" said Flitwick frowning "The children actually claim that you-know-who is roaming the Forbidden Forest, killing unicorns?"

"The centaurs said it's true!" said Hagrid "They even said ther' is a vampire with him"

"That complicates things" said Lupin "In the last war, only werewolves joined the Death Eater ranks… but if the vampires are actually working with _him_ this time. You can't understand the hatred between our two races. If they have started working together, it _must_ be something bigger."

"And you need not worry about the children becoming evil wizards…" mouthed Dumbledore "They have shown so far that their main interest is to protect their friends and companions. About the other matter at hand, the Dark lord may still be at large at the forbidden forest; perhaps Mrs. Babbling could help us put some more wards to protect the Stone."

"Certainly Professor" said the woman.

"I still don't understand the link between the attacks and you-know-who" said Flitwick confused.

"That is, Filius my friend" said Dumbledore "Because Lord Voldemort is working directly with the ones responsible of the attacks. For all that I know, he could be one of his servants. Can you imagine the horrors? If the supposed dark lord is but a lackey, what power could the leader or leaders possess?"

Everyone in the room visibly trembled. Severus Snape looked down while Remus Lupin crossed his arms deep in thought. McGonagall held her chin in her hand and Flitwick squirmed.

"The Children is the answer" said somberly Snape earning the inquisitorial looks from the rest of the Order "Last time, the wizarding community wasn't prepared, and the war stuck hard. But it was the younger generation who suffered the most. Many of them couldn't protect themselves. I think it's time we took the matters in our hands and prepare them for what is to come."

"But they are children, Severus" said Flitwick "How can they be expected to defend themselves if older, more trained wizards fell to the wrath of the Death Eaters."

"They must learn the hard way" said Snape "They must be taught useful spells… not petty useless ones like cleaning charms, or how to transfigure a match into a needle"

"But they're the basics, Snape" countered McGonagall "There is a reason for the study program to be the way it is."

"I happen to agree Severus" said Albus calmly "We cannot force the students the knowledge. Learning is a process of patience and hard work. Perseverance is most important when teaching and studying"

"I think you're going to soft with them" replied Snape in a somber voice "many pureblood families of my house get their children to study during summers far more…_ advanced_ magic while they are off the school. They don't learn the dark magic on their own."

"And, while I often disagree with Snape here" snarled Moody "Potter and his friends are proof enough that the children can learn to protect themselves, even at such a young age."

"Robert's and Harry's case are special" said Dumbledore calmly "And everyone here knows that Miss Granger is by far the brightest witch from her generation, if not from the entire school"

"I won't budge" said Snape "My resolution stays, I will make my students work, even if they do not like it. They might hate me but the time will come when the potions I taught them will come in handy and they'll appreciate everything I made them go through. You should all do the same."

"So… enough from Students and classes" said Moody "What should we do about this… group or whatever they are? The wizarding world doesn't have the weapons to fight them. Few Aurors are prepared for another war. If only Crouch had taken the place of Ministry…"

"There is no guarantee that they will come to war any time soon. They have been content by striking from the dark. For now" said Dumbledore "I'm afraid that I have no choice but to get the children somewhere safe after the year ends. It is too risky to let them leave to their houses if they are being targeted by Voldemort and his allies. We don't know how many numbers this enemy has so we can't make a correct assessment of the threat yet. Remus I will ask you to stay and help me increase and upgrade the castle's wards, with the aid of Mrs. Babbling of course."

"May I ask Professor" said Snape serenely "Where are you placing the children? "

"Here at Hogwarts" he answered calmly.

"I am not sure that Molly will approve" said McGonagall warily "You know how she gets with her family."

"I may have a way to persuade her" replied Dumbledore "If my memory serves, her son William works as a curse breaker at Gringotts. Perhaps… it wouldn't harm a bit of extra help. Very well it is decided… everyone now has your tasks. It is imperative that we get them done swiftly, without drawing much attention. I declare this session of the Order of the Phoenix adjourned. Farewell my friends, and good luck."

With that, two dozens of shadowy figures vanished from the old tavern. Only the tall figure of Hogwarts' headmaster and the scrawny werewolf Remus Lupin remained. Said man slowly got up from his chair and sighed deeply. Crossing his arms, his gaze met Dumbledore's.

"It's too much…" said Remus "I don't fancy watching James's and Lily's son threatened so much. He hasn't even been a year in the wizarding world and he is already faced Voldemort. I don't like what is happening"

"Neither do I…." whispered Dumbledore "Neither do I. They are really not prepared for what is coming."

* * *

Draco Malfoy liked to think that he was not someone who would get easily scared. Not with what he had seen inside the cold walls of his home. Frowning, he looked over his shoulder for a second and saw nothing. Someone was following. He couldn't risk going to the room of requirement now. He silently cursed for not asking the others for a mean of communicating with them. Since the night at the forbidden Forest, he had been helping them, telling them when the Valari would go and attack an unsuspecting first year. In return, the Gryffindors had started helping him learn some of the defensive spells they had learnt. He knew they were hiding something, and they would constantly read a book. Though, whenever he was near, Robert would take it away and the odd group would begin practicing. Of course, he knew that getting them to trust him would take time, but it was well worth it. Facing the Valari, that meant something. They were just like his father, oh and Merlin help him, he hated his father!

A whisper brought back his attention and he finally saw a figure as it hid behind the corner of the seventh floor hallway. Silently cursing, he picked up his pace, not quite running yet, and took out his wand. He hoped his cover wasn't blown yet, he would be in trouble if he ever got back to his common room. Perks of being a spy in your own house, he thought. He finally stopped when two figures walked in front of him, just when he had taking a turn after the portrait in front of the Room of Requirement.

"So…" said Draco in a frivolous tone "You finally showed up Bole, Valari. I suppose Mulciber is the one following me… may I ask why am I being… hunted?"

"We had word that you left the common room… a bit late Malfoy" said Viktor Valari calmly "We just wanted to make sure nothing… bad happened to you."

"Well nothing _too_ bad" said Mulciber, smirking behind him "Viktor's sources said that you were meeting today some of the Gryffindors _tsk tsk. _What would your father think of that boy? He always tries to impress Viktor's parents. A waste of effort, I might say, if his own son had strayed from the noble path of his own family."

"Now… Draco" said Valari frowning "Your family is one of the wealthiest and most powerful from England, we wouldn't want to lose our connection, as probably you wouldn't want to get on our _wrong_ side… would you Draco?"

"Certainly Viktor" said Malfoy "I don't know who spread that rumor and I will get them back for it"

"_Lies!"_ spat Valari "I know for a fact that the Potter and Dumbledore boys went up this evening! You were going to meet them! Don't deny it! Who knows how many times you have given us away before we curse a stupid mudblood?!"

The older Slythterins took out their wands and with a malicious look they pointed them at Draco. A trail of sweat fell down Draco's face as he struggled to remain calm. He could almost feel the piercing look of Mulciber with his wand pointed at his back.

"You're overreacting Valari!" he bellowed "I would never aid _those_ blood traitors and mudbloods. If anything I would have come to curse them my…"

But before he could say another word several flashes of light came from behind the Slytherins and not a second later they were all stumbled in a great mass of arms and legs in the middle of the hallway. Ron came smirking from behind after he had stunned Mulciber, then he levitated him and placed the fainted Slytherin with his two companions, who had been taken care of by Hermione and Neville. Rob and Harry had been watching from behind them and were snickering at the three older students.

"Typical" said Harry "I really don't understand why they get in Slytherin. Not very subtle are they? Ron followed them since they left the common room and they even didn't heard him"

"You should have seen them, mate" said Ron dragging Mulciber with a kick on his stomach "They were noisier than a tribe of trolls. Who knows why the Sorting hat found them worthy of getting in Slyhterin. They might be evil and ambitious, but they are as sneaky as Hagrid when he got Norbert."

"So Draco" asked Hermione smiling "How were your exams?"

"Pretty easy, especially Quirrel" he answered "I don't understand how he was made teacher for Hogwarts"

"We will never know" said Neville shaking his head. "So what do we do with this lot?"

Harry and Ron smirked wickedly, but they were interrupted.

"Hermione…" spoke Rob seriously.

'_Way to bring down the mood Rob' _thought Harry _'I'll never understand why he gets so serious'_

"I think it's better if they don't remember what happened"

Hermione beamed at him and pointed her wand at the three fallen Slytherins.

"They'll never know what hit them" said Ron "Literally. Try not to erase _too_ much, Hermione"

"Don't worry, they will return to their _lovely _selves in a few hours" she answered "Try not to cry too much during the night, Draco. I will try not to harm them"

Everyone chuckled and watched Hermione's handiwork.

"_Obliviate"_

"That should do it…" said Harry "Let's grab the invisibility cloak and take them to the dungeons"

"We better make them invisible too…" said Rob "We don't want Filch or Snape seeing three bodies floating on their own do we?"

Without anything else, they muttered the disillusionment spell and levitated Valari and his lackeys. The way to the dungeons was silent, and they didn't found any trouble. After leaving the three unsuspecting Slytherins at their common room, they made way back to the Room of Requirement. After sealing the door shut, they took of the invisibility cloak and Robert and Harry appeared again after ending the disillusionment charm since they didn't fit with the rest of them.

"Snape would be proud of us if he saw how Slytherin we are" joked Ron.

"Somehow I doubt that even if were in Slytherin he would even look at us" said Harry "except for reprimand us and taking points"

"He wouldn't take points from his own house, Harry" muttered Hermione as she went through a book that the room had provided them. "And you're right; we would make a perfect example for Slytherins"

"So to more pressing matters" said Rob. Everyone groaned and he rolled his eyes "What? You think Voldemort will stay quiet and won't try to take the Sorcerer's stone?"

"But you heard Dumbledore" said Ron.

"Yeah I'm pretty much certain that I heard myself" he said, earning a smack in the back of his head from Harry.

"No seriously" said Ron "You heard what _the headmaster_ told us. Fluffy, Hagrid's oh so lovely dog, isn't the only thing protecting the Stone! There's all the professor's wards, plus even Dumbeldore has put his own protection."

"Fluffy…" muttered Harry, and then he opened his eyes widely. "no…"

Hermione seemed to catch on, as she dropped her book to the ground. Only Neville and Draco, who hadn't heard what the groundskeeper had said a few months before, did not understand what Harry and Hermione were saying.

"What are you up to, mate?" asked Ron who was the target of Rob's smack behind his head. "_Ow_, what was that for?"

"Don't you remember?" said Harry "What Hagrid said about wanting a Dragon above anything else in the world. And then suddenly, someone appears miraculously with an egg and gives it for free? Don't you find it odd?"

"And we all know that he isn't the best guy to keep secrets" said Hermione "Even if he doesn't mean it when he reveals them. What if he slipped, and told something to a stranger, what if he told him how to get through Fluffy and the other wards?!"

Everyone felt silent.

"Then… we have no choice but to ask him tomorrow" said Rob quietly as he took a strand of his hair away from his face.

"You really don't know how disturbingly alike you two are" said Draco pointing to him and Harry "every time you do that… is like you were brothers"

They both only shrugged.

"You know…" said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Oh no, she just got that look" said Ron rolling his eyes.

"What is that supposed to mean?" glared Hermione

"That you just thought of something and you will want to research about it, making us spend our valuable free time in the library rather than doing something much more fun"

"You know, he is right" said Draco "It's all plastered on your face"

Harry and Rob knew better than to make fun of their friend and immediately took cover. Neville looked up after having been reading a book on Herbology that the room provided and opened his eyes wide and ran towards them before it was too late. Before Draco and Ron could react, two spells flew right at them and they were completely paralyzed. Slowly and menacingly, Hermione took a few steps and looked directly at the two boys under the full body bind. Had they not been petrified they would surely have died from the death glare the girl was sending them. Smirking she took another step and stomped on her foot on their toes… various times. Harry flinched and could almost imagine their silent screams.

"That will teach you…" said Hermione mumbling something under her breath afterwards. A few seconds later the two boys were freed and started hissing in pain, holding their feet.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side Hermione" said Neville calmly as her resumed his reading. He only got an innocent smile in response.

"So… Hermione" said Rob "What were you saying before you got interrupted?"

"Oh yea" she said, smiling sheepishly "Well… since we haven't been able to find anything on how to get rid of the _Trace_, I have been thinking that there should be something else we could do."

"But… what?" said Harry confused.

"I don't really know" the bushy haired girl said "We may need to look into the Ministry's law or something like that. First of all we need to know if they track our wand or the magic we do. I mean… would they know if a child performed magic if it was done with a stranger's wand? Or they detect magic itself? And if they do track magic, then there isn't any spell on the wand… Maybe magic leaves a signature or something behind that can be detected."

"Right" said Rob "Then maybe… could there be a way to erase the magical signature? Or to block the ministry's detection system, you know, like stopping them from learning when we do magic?"

"In my house I have never had that problem" said Draco "I don't know if my father did something or if the house is shielded in some way. Maybe we can charm our wands not to produce that type of signal or in the other hand, create some kind of shield or ward"

"It could be" said Hermione frowning "Maybe if we could make some place un-plottable or…"

But before she finished, a though came to Harry's mind. Didn't he get away with magic before he entered Hogwarts? No... That wouldn't cut it, Robert had told him that it was 'accidental' magic and it was not sanctioned by the ministry until the child reached eleven.

"I think the most obvious is to try to make our magic invisible" he said "Like Rob said… try to get rid of the signature. But I can't think of any way to do it. It doesn't make sense, it they could detect magic done in a place where an underage wizard is living, wouldn't everyone be getting warnings in a magical family? Is there some kind of difference between an adult's magic and a child's?"

"Our best shot is to get wards in our homes, I guess" said Hermione "Like in Draco's house or something. If it is true, and the ministry knows every time an underage wizard does magic, changing wands wouldn't work."

"We need to ask someone" said Harry "Someone who knows about the Ministry's regulations"

"I know!" said Ron snapping his fingers "Percy! He will surely know how they do it! He talks non-stop about his future career in the Ministry and he knows everything related to the laws. It's perfect! I just need to tell him I'm doing some work about it and he will surely help me. I'll say I'm interested in a job like the one he wants and that I want to be like him or something like that."

"I didn't know you had grown a brain Weasley" said Draco smirking "But it's actually a good idea. Not even Hermione here thought about that."

"Hey" she complained "I didn't know those things about his brother. He has six of them! How I was supposed to know?"

"Never mind Hermione" said Rob sighing "We have a busy day ahead of us, and it's almost curfew. Let's head back and we will deal with Hagrid and Percy tomorrow."

Everyone nodded and picked up their things and left.

* * *

The next day, the five Gryffindors got together in the library after having a short lunch. After some thought they decided that it was best if Draco wasn't seen with them for the time being. Valari and the other Slytherins were still suspicious about the young Malfoy heir, even though they couldn't remember having encountered him the night before. During the breakfast they decided to split into two groups. Harry, Rob and Neville would go to Hagrid's hut to interrogate him about the mysterious man who gave him the dragon's egg and Hermione and Ron would ask Percy for suggestions.

After a quick chat the groups split up and left towards their own missions. Harry and his companions quickly made way towards Hagrid, who was just going outside his hut. When they approached Hagrid initially beamed at them, but after seeing their serious faces he frowned.

"Ok spill it up" said Hagrid.

"Getting directly to the point huh?" said Rob smirking.

"Hagrid we need to know how you got your Dragon" said Harry defiantly.

After he explained his story, the three boys cursed and ran towards the castle. They met Hermione and Ron in the library and began explaining what Hagrid and Percy had said.

"He assured that the Ministry detects magic" began Ron in a very Percy-like way "not the wand, and there are certain characteristics of the magic of young wizards that makes it different…"

"After that we came here" Hermione said "And I began reading about some wards that my help us use magic outside the school. They aren't really explained that well though… so we may have to check the book Rob."

"It figures…" Neville said "We may have another problem, though"

"Hagrid told someone about Fluffy" said Harry "And Voldemort has probably already figured out the rest of the wards. We need to tell Dumbledore right NOW!"

Not wasting another moment, the five Gryffindor ran to the headmaster's office, not caring about tripping or bumping into anyone. But when they got to the gargoyle, they were stopped and stood facing the stern glare of McGonagall.

"May I ask why are you students in such a hurry?" she asked politely.

"Someone is trying to take the Stone!" hollered Ron "Dumbledore needs to know!"

McGonagall opened her eyes wide in shock but quickly hid it.

"I don't know how you found out about the stone, but I assure you that is being protected thoroughly by most of the staff, not only Hagrid. The Headmaster himself has placed his own protections and they alone might be hard enough to stop anyone from taking the… item. Now, Dumbledore is away right now in Ministry business and he won't come back until later. If you have nothing else to do, you will return to your common room in this moment."

They grudgingly complied and left their head of house in a quick pace. But instead of going up towards Gryffindor tower, they ran down towards the third floor. In the way, however, Ron bumped into a lone boy and tripped to the floor. After apologizing, they received the scowl of an irritated Slytherin.

"Pay attention Weasley" said Draco rubbing his head and then spoke in whispers, looking around so no one could see him "I take it didn't go well. I'm coming with you."

"Are you sure?" asked Harry "If your housemates find out…"

"Let's go in the invisibility cloak and disillusionment charms" said Robert "Harry, do you have the flute Hagrid gave you?"

"Yes I have it" he said glancing at Draco and then at the rest of his friends "Fine, let's go, there's no time to lose."

Hastily they arrived at the third floor corridor, and taking a deep breath they opened the door that would lead them to the three headed dog. Before the monstrous dog could react, Harry began playing the flute, making the dog relax and go back to its sleep.

"Holy…" muttered Draco "That's an actual Cerberus. Trust Hagrid to name _Fluffy_ a canine from hell" he said smugly.

"There's the trapdoor" said Neville pointing to a rectangular square near the dog's enormous paw. "It's already open, we need to hurry"

"Ladies first" said Ron after taking a glance down the opened door. "No? Well I guess I'll be the guinea pig."

The red headed sighed and jumped, making a soft thud after a couple seconds. While Harry kept playing, the rest asked Ron if he was okay, and he announced that everything was fine. One by one, the eleven year old children jumped in, with Harry at the end. He risked another glance at the dog's three heads and stopped playing, taking a deep breath and jumped to the dark tunnel. He closed his eyes, waiting for the fall, but instead he found himself crashing into something soft.

"What's this?" he asked the rest of them.

"It's some kind of plant!" said Ron as he struggled to free himself "And it's tangling around us!"

"Devil's Snare!" shouted Neville "It will suffocate us to death!"

"Calm down Longbottom" said Draco "Think! Herbology it's your specialty"

Harry managed to free his hands and tried several cutting hexes and curses but the plant would just grow again and started attacking him. Rob had managed to free himself and got to a ledge before the plant got to him but was still sending curse after curse to make it slow down.

"Hermione!" yelled Ron "Do something"

"I remember reading about it in the textbook" she yelled as she tried to untangle from a particularly vicious vine "Devil's snare: This plant uses its creepers and tendrils to ensnare anyone who touches it, binding their arms and legs and eventually choking them. It likes dark and damp…"

"I got it!" bellowed Neville.

"Finally" said Malfoy "Please take your time… it's not like we are fighting for our lives here"

"Shut up Malfoy" said Ron as he struggled to send another hex "_Diffindo"_

"Fire!" said Neville shouting "We need to burn it!"

"Great" said Hermione "Does anyone has some matches"

"What?!" shouted Rob "Are you a witch or not?"

"Never mind that!" said Harry "Quickly do that blue fire thing!"

"_Incendia Campana"_

The bluebell flames appeared from the tip of her wand into her hand and she held it towards the plant, without burning herself. The Snare quickly released her and dumped her to a lower ground safely.

"Great, she left us here" said Draco irritated.

"Ok, that's enough" said Harry angered "Stop being a prat Malfoy, you're a wizard too, free yourself"

"Right" said Malfoy a bit ashamed.

"Not the time for feeling sorry" said Rob exasperatedly. A vine crept from behind him and grabbed his left foot. "_Now_ I'm angry"

"_Flammare!"_

His wand was pointed to the center of the plant and a roaring burst of fire erupted. The whole plant screeched and released the rest of them. After making sure everyone was okay, they cleaned their robes and followed Hermione trough a hallway. Several torches lighted their way and they could hear some strange noises, much like the buzzing of a bee hive.

"Careful" said Draco "We should go invisible, just in case"

"Calling the Slytherin within, Malfoy?" said Ron "I knew you were not in that house for nothing"

Malfoy only grunted as they put disillusionment charms on themselves. He was very proud of this achievement. His father had hinted that it was an N.E.W.T. level spell and not many people could manage it. He remembered having the smirk plastered on his face for a week when his friends showed him how to do it. He could care less how they obtained such knowledge but it was proving to be quite useful. Looking back, he guessed that most of the things that he could now do were thanks to the help of Potter and the Gryffindors. If someone told him a year before that he was going to befriend his lot, he would have thought that the person was not in its right mind. His trail of thought was interrupted when they got to a large room with what appeared to be hundreds of small keys… flying?

"It can't be that obvious…" said Robert, looking at the door ahead of them which was closed with a rusty old lock. Next to it, a lone broom was leaned against the wall.

"Guess it's my turn, huh?" said Harry.

In a few minutes, Harry had flown and grabbed they tattered key without any problem and opened the door towards the next room. It was split into two chambers, separated only by an archway. A couple of torches stood next to it, lighting an inscription engraved on the rock above. Ron was the first to take a step towards the arch, but was suddenly stopped by the white-haired boy, who only shook his head.

"There is something to this room…" he said calmly "Don't you feel it?"

"Those are Runes" said Hermione "They are used to create some kind of wards"

"It's really astounding how obvious these obstacles are" said Robert "What was _pops_ thinking? They are children's play. The clues are right in front of us."

"So that means you can read them" said Draco.

Robert nodded as he inspected the writings over the path. He frowned and took a couple steps assuring the others that nothing would happen. He could see several other runes in the inside part of the archway pointing the wards boundaries. He stopped on the left side of the doorway where a stone panel with several other runes.

"It's pretty unusual" said Robert "On the top says '_true light door open'_ and there are several runes here, come its safe here. But don't step through the threshold, it will probably stun or kill you."

"It is some kind of riddle" said Hermione.

"And it's worse than that…" said Rob "Someone needs to stay here to keep pressing the right Rune"

"I'll do it" said Neville seriously "You lot keep going…"

"It doesn't have to be you" said Harry "We can find out a way to…"

"Don't bother Harry" he answered with a small smile "I already did my share and besides… you five are better than me at Defense against dark arts and dueling. I just wanted to tell you that… well you are the first real friends that I have and you have taught me so much…"

"Don't get all sentimental on us, Nev" said Draco putting and arm around him.

"Just… just make sure you come back in one piece" he said chuckling "All of you… I will go back and try to persuade McGonagall to call Dumbledore. Lend me the flute in case _Fluffy_ is in one of his mood swings."

They chuckled and patted Neville on his back. But now they had a problem, find the right Rune that will allow them to go to the next room.

"What do the runes say" asked Hermione.

"There is '_sun', 'wisdom', 'star', 'truth', 'love'_ and that's pretty much it" said Robert reading the Runes once again.

"How can you read those so easily" asked Draco. "We don't study Runes until third year"

"We'll tell you later Draco" said Harry "Now… it says that the true light opens the door. Maybe it's the sun?"

"No I don't think it is" said Ron "It is too easy. I suppose we can't try each one of them right?"

"That's probably not a good idea" stated Robert "There is probably some curse in the wrong runes"

"Well what else it can be?" said Neville.

After a couple of minutes, Harry came with an idea. It was probably the most illogical, but it could probably fool someone pretty easily.

"Truth" he said strongly "I think that's the one. It simple, 'true' comes from 'truth' and it will 'light the door open'…"

"That's absurd" said Draco crossing his arms.

"It might actually be that one" said Rob.

"What?" hollered Ron bewildered.

"Did you not here what I just said?" snarled Draco.

"And that's exactly why it is the correct one" said Hermione "Isn't Harry? Most wizards can't read Runes that well and even if they could, it's easy to be fooled into choosing one of the most logic ones like 'sun' or 'wisdom'. That way it becomes some kind of double protection."

"Now I get why all the teachers praise you" said Draco "you talk like one of them"

Hermione blushed a little at the praise.

"Well I guess this is where I come in" said Neville smirking "Emm… it would be better if you stepped back in case something goes wrong."

The rest of them did as he said and waited for the round-faced boy. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the rune that Rob had pointed out and he instantly felt the block of wall recede a little. A green light appeared inside the archway and it quickly faded.

"Good luck" said Neville when they all had passed "I'll try to get McGonagall or Flitwick here"

With nothing else to say, he went back through the opposite door.

"Ok let's keep moving" said Harry "We don't know how far old Voldie is now."

The next room was gigantic, and dusty stone chess board was laid in front of them. The black pieces were laid in their right positions, waiting for their opponent. In front of them the white stood unmoving. The five of them looked at each other apprehensively but kept walking forward.

"McGonagall's work" said Draco sternly "I guess we know whose turn it is"

"I know" said Ron "But do we actually have to play?"

Harry raised his hand and pointed it to a white pawn. After a quick reflection of what spells could work, he decided to try something with a bit of power.

"_Reducto"_

The spell crashed against the pawn but it didn't budge.

"There's your answer." said Rob.

"Well we've got to play our way into the next room" said Ron "I suppose it isn't that easy, though. Do we have to take places of some pieces?" he asked to a knight next to him. The stone chessmen nodded.

"Then I will take a knight" he said thoughtfully "Hermione, you take the queen, Rob take the bishop, Harry take the king and Draco take a tower. We need to have Harry safe, so he can deal with you-know-who. The king it's the last one that can be taken, in case this is as the Wizarding Chess. Hermione will be the queen, because it's the most powerful piece and she's the smartest of us all, so if something happens to us they will be able to continue"

Draco seemed astounded and couldn't find the right words to say.

"Don't bother," said Harry "Chess it's the only thing he takes this seriously. He's the best player I have ever seen so you don't need to worry too much. He has been getting good with strategies from playing that much."

"Consider all possibilities" said Ron in deep concentration "That's the way I was taught"

The corresponding figures moved and allowed the five children to take their place. They quickly realized that Ron had been right, and that it was just as Wizarding chess. The white and black chessmen actually destroyed each other, but thankfully Ron was playing his cards correctly, avoiding any of his friends getting taken. However, after some close calls the red head hit a roadblock. He stared at all the pieces looking from the white queen to Rob and then to Hermione.

"Oh…" said Harry realizing what Ron was about to do "Don't do it Ron, there must be another way… other possibilities, like you said!"

"There is no other way…" he answered coldly "Hermione I trust you know what to do"

"But…"

"No buts…" he spat "We don't know how much time we've got. Get the checkmate once I'm taken"

"So that's the Gryffindor courage everyone talks about" muttered Draco "I thought I would never live to see it… Takes a lot of guts to do that Ron, I'm glad you're here with us."

"Now don't you just go sentimental on me, Draco" he said, imitating what the Slytherin had told Neville just a room before. With a long breath, just like the one Neville had taken, he moved the three spaces and checked the King. In a swift movement, the white queen approached him and knocked him several feet with her staff. Ron fell with a thud and didn't move, and a sobbing Hermione moved in front of the king and declared the checkmate. The king's sword fell from his hand admitting the white pieces' defeat. The four children ran towards Ron, and found him unconscious on the floor near the other pieces.

"He's alive" said Draco feeling his pulse "Weak, but alive. We'll come later after him, or maybe Longbottom will get help in time."

Harry tried to console the weeping Hermione and rubbed her back.

"Don't make his sacrifice in vain" said Rob "He bought us some time so let's make the best of it"

Then they ran towards the next door and slowly opened it. The room was just as tall and dark as the one before but there was nothing inside. Harry got suspicious and told the others to disillusion themselves. A horrid stench quickly filled their noses, something that they had already smelled once before.

"No…" said Harry quietly "It's… a troll."

A loud, deafening grunt echoed throughout the hall and their disillusionment charms fell, just before a fifteen foot tall troll emerged from the shadows, in his hands a gigantic metal club with two spikes. Quickly they spread when a blow came directly where they had been a second before, making the ground shake.

The four of them surrounded it and started a barrage of all the hexes and curses they could think of. But the gigantic troll had an iron armor which protected him of most of them. Harry jumped when a sideways swing came towards him and Rob took advantage and sent a _Reducto _to the back of his head, but the Troll merely shook it. From the other side, Draco did a cutting hex that barely wounded its leg, and got the attention of the troll to him. He dodged successfully several hits and Hermione quickly sent another _Reducto_ to the ceiling, making it fall towards the troll. This only made the troll angrier and he then lunged for the girl, but Rob made a quick flick and grabbed the club with conjured ropes just before the troll hit Hermione.

The troll, however, was too strong and sent Rob flying, but with quick reflexes he managed to land correctly and banished the conjured ropes. Swing after swing the troll attacked, and the four students weren't able to do much damage to the monster, besides a few mild cuts. Draco felt anger rise inside him, when he saw a blow almost get Harry and then Rob. They had become his friends; they had saved him from the wolf and helped him when the vampire and Voldemort attacked. They were freely giving him help and didn't judge him for his father or the house he was in. He wasn't going to let anyone take that from him. Pointing his wand he sent a spell he had seen his father use before.

"_Sectumsempra!" _ he bellowed and like an invisible sword, the curse made a gash on the trolls side. A terrible and hoarse cry came from the troll and he turned to see the white-haired Slytherin pointing his wand.

"Quick!" Draco said "You have to go on! I'll take care of this stupid brainless monster, you need to stop _him_!"

Taking another glance at the pale boy, Harry nodded and the three of them rushed to the door. He turned once again after Hermione and Rob had passed and looked once again to Draco who was struggling to dodge the troll's blows, which were more erratic with his side bleeding.

"Go you fools!" he bellowed before leaning down to avoid a particular well aimed blow.

Harry then went inside and closed the door behind him. The first thing he saw was Hermione and Rob in front of a table with several vials of potion from different colors. In front of them a black fire roared, blocking their way to the next room. After he took a couple spells, a violet fire erupted behind him, effectively trapping them.

"Snape!" he cursed "Great now we have to guess what potion we need to take, if they aren't all poisons that is"

"I don't think they are" said Hermione "Just a few of them, according to this…"

She made a gesture telling him to approach and he finally took a good look to what they were inspecting. It was a roll of parchment with another riddle.

"Well you don't have to be actually good at magic for this…" said Rob "just have a bit of logic"

"This one" said Hermione, pointing to a round vial at the right end "Will get us back… but there's just enough for one of us "and the small one leads us forward."

"And there barely enough for one of us too" said Harry and after some thought he decided that he was the one to go.

"I know what you're thinking" said Rob crossing his arms "Are you sure?"

"Yes" he said plainly "Hermione, you go back, and if the troll is still there you run no matter what and get Dumbledore fast, and help for Ron too. Rob, I'm afraid you'll have to sit this one out. Maybe, with a bit of luck, I'll be able to get rid of the '_Dark' _lord again" he finished mockingly.

"But…" began Hermione but was interrupted by Rob

"Again… no buts Hermione: go get Dumbledore and if you can, help Draco and Ron"

"Good luck guys" she said in the verge of tears, and she quickly hugged both of them "You make sure you get back. I don't want to lose my best friends"

She then swallowed the potion quickly and ran through the purple fire.

"And there were two…" said Rob sadly. "Mate, please be careful. Don't go doing something rash or stupid okay? I… I'll try to get rid of this fire and go help you"

"It's okay mate…" said Harry "Don't you go missing me too much" he finished winking at him and draining the potion in one gulp. A moment later, Harry disappeared through the black fire.

The first thing he noticed after opening the next door was a long mirror and he inwardly gasped. He barely managed to hold his breath and decided to cover himself with the invisibility cloak, so the two figures in front of him wouldn't notice him. But when he got two more steps he took a good look and his eyes opened in shock. One of the figures was the vampire who had attacked them, but the other man was not someone he expected.

Robert Dumbledore had never been more frustrated. It had been a couple of minutes since Harry had entered the next chamber and probably where Voldemort was attempting to retrieve the Sorcerer's stone. He couldn't take it anymore. Things were so different and unfair since he found out that he was a wizard. He had witnessed two massacres already, and the Ministry apparently had done nothing! Apparently Harry was suffering like him, since he was forced to live with his horrendous muggle family who despised magic. When he looked back, he could relish in few things of his life. And those things were for one, his adoption by the Headmaster, and second, his newfound friends. They were like the brothers – and sister of course – that he never had, especially Harry. He didn't know why, but he felt something whenever he saw him, like a deep sense of familiarity with him and he couldn't quite place it. But nonetheless, he was his non-blood brother and he would do anything in his power to help him.

"_There is no time to lose then" _said a voice inside his head, and without any warning he felt his whole body start burning along with the strange sensation on his eyes that he always felt when the Ifrit took his body.

"_Why? Why are you helping me?"_ The boy asked confused "_You are trapped in my mind after all. I know you could easily kill me or posses me."_

"_Like I said" _the spirit said "_Not all of us are evil, just like not all Gryffindors are brave and noble, or the Slytherins evil. Not all Ravenclaws are intelligent and not all Hufflepuff are loyal. Its prejudice what is killing the wizarding world. Yes it is dying… but that's a tale for another time"_

And, like pulled from and invisible force, Robert felt his hand raise and he unconsciously muttered an incantation.

"_Alu: Aina'duin"_

_A/N: Well that's it for the thirteen chapter, hope you liked it? Please leave reviews! =)  
_


	14. Eyes of the Demon

**Chapter 14: Eyes of the Demon**

"Ah… Mr. Potter" said the man with the turban "We were expecting you. By the look of your face I can tell you were not expecting me."

Harry could actually hear his heartbeat as his eyes widened. He dare not move and even if he wanted, his legs weren't responding him. A voice in his head was screaming 'Run_!' _ But he knew he had to stop him no matter what. Things had become a bit more difficult. The only chance he had was to stall them until help arrived.

"Quirrel…" he managed to blurt out.

"Indeed Mr. Potter" said his Defense professor, without stammering a single word "It's amusing, isn't it? Who would have thought that s… car… ed… Prof… fessor.. Quirrel would try to steal the Stone? Ha! Even Dumbledore fell for it, now he has left for a false meeting in the Wizengamot and I'll be gone before he even notices."

"Enough with the speech" said the figure next to him. Harry recognized the voice from the vampire that attacked them back on the Forbidden Forest. This time the voice was calm and it sounded much like a young woman or a teenager, but her face was shadowed by the hood of her cloak. She was still not as tall as Quirrel, which made Harry confused. It appeared to be a young girl instead of a deathly night creature. "This boy doesn't have the book, by the way…"

"The other must be coming" Quirrel snarled angrily "I already told you, you will have what you came for. In the mean time… this mirror… I see myself with the stone, offering to my master."

Harry observed the mirror, its golden frame shone against the light from the torches, and it reached high as the ceiling. He read the inscription carved around the top:

"_Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi"_

'Haven't they figured it out?' Harry thought 'I show not your face but your heart's Desire… Mirror of Erised… Mirror of Desire. So he is seeing himself with the Stone so he can give it to Voldemort. But how do I get it before him?_'_

His thoughts were interrupted when a high pitched voice hissed throughout the chamber giving him chills.

"_Use the boy"_

"I'm losing my patience" snarled the Vampire "They will not be pleased if we fail Quirrel"

"We will not fail!" bellowed Quirrel "Now Potter, come here!"

Harry was pulled by an invisible force while Quirrel pointed his wand at him.

'Maybe if I play this right…' he thought.

"What do you see Potter?" asked Quirrel angrily.

"I see myself beating Voldemort" he said clenching his teeth, pretending to sound sad "My parents and my friends are with me."

But his reflection showed something entirely different. On the mirror, his reflection had pulled a red, shiny stone from his cloak and put it back to his right pocket. Suddenly he felt a weight fall in his robes. With much effort he managed _not_ to reach for the stone or make any gesture whatsoever. Then he felt a presence trying to breach his mind. With all the strength he could muster he tried to push it away.

"_He's lying"_ said again the voice.

"You had to break into his head to figure it out?" said the Vampire amused "Of course he's lying, and I didn't need your petty abilities to do so… Now, be a good kid and give him the Stone so he can finally shut the hell up."

Harry took a few steps back as both Quirrel and the Vampire approached him slowly. A rumble suddenly started and Harry quickly jumped out of the way as a tidal wave rushed from behind and lunged towards the Quirrel and his companion.

Both of them disappeared under the clear water, but Harry managed to leap aside, avoiding being carried with the current. The mirror of Erised remained still, not moved an inch by the torrent. He saw as Rob made his way to the chamber, with his wand at the ready.

"Glad you are ok, mate" he said as Harry rushed next to him, but a dark red flash missed them just by a few inches. Harry instantly raised a shield as another yellow spell was sent at him. Robert jumped sideways, dodging the gray looking curse, which blasted one of the columns of the chamber. The two attacked had already recovered and their cloaks dry.

"Give me the book, boy" bellowed the Vampire "And we will spare your lives."

"Never!" said Harry and Robert at unison.

"Fine!" Answered Quirrel as he raised his wand, but before he could send another curse, the hissing voice stopped him.

"_Let me speak to the boys" _

The vampire smirked and crossed his arms. Harry and Rob stared at each other in shock. Did it mean what they were thinking?

"But you are not that strong, master…" Quirrel spoke, still pointing his wand. Robert took advantage of their hesitation and casted an invisible shield, while Harry attempted to create a portkey. However, what happened next distracted him completely.

"Very well master" the young professor said, answering an unasked question, and reached for the back of his turban. He then showed his back to the two boys and dropped the rest of the clothes protecting his head. Both boys gasped and froze in the spot. From the back of Quirrel's head, another face was attached, with slits like a snake instead of a nose and red glaring eyes.

"Ah… Potter" it spoke "We meet once again…"

"Voldemort" muttered Robert in absolute shock. His legs were about to give out, and he risked a glance to Harry who was equally terrified. Not In a million years they would have expected this.

Harry locked his eyes with Rob for a fragment of a second and they both appeared to have the same thought. Both raised their wands and pointed to the ceiling above where Voldemort and the Vampire were standing.

"_Reducto!"_ they said in unison.

The two boys were expecting a big blast as a result of both spells hitting the same spot. But what they felt and what happened couldn't be explained. A tremor pulsed throughout their bodies at the very same moment. A red and a blue light emerged from the ground where each of one stood and instead of the invisible blast, a spiral formed of both colors rushed against the ceiling. The energy blast not only brought a great portion down but it also sent the vampire and Quirrel flying to the opposite side and were buried by rock and dust.

Both boys lowered their wands towards the mountain of debris, fearing their encounter was far from over. And they were not mistaken, when they felt the chamber tremble and both figures emerged. The vampire hollered in rage and in a split second vanished from their sight only to reappear in front of Rob, and grabbing him from his shirt he sent him to crash against one of the walls. Harry barely reacted and raised a shield before two more red jolts crashed against him. He saw how Quirrel rose, and walking backwards, he watched disgusted at the disfigured face of Lord Voldemort. With a flick of her wand, the Vampire sent Robert flying towards Harry. Rob gathered what strength he still had and slowly stood up, and scowled at the two dark wizards.

"You both surprise me, children" he hissed "I wasn't expecting you being able to defend yourselves, much less to attack us. You carry an amazing power, I can sense it. It's just not tamed. Join us, and we will teach you how."

"Never!" Harry bellowed "You're a murderer, you took away my family!"

"Ah… hasn't Albus Dumbledore told you? Hasn't the old man revealed the truth?!" he said slowly before letting out a screeching laugh "I find it quite amusing. Anyways, let it be his mistake. The only thing I need it's the little red stone you have with you Mr. Potter. I can already smell it, the power that my new body is going to give me, just a sip of the Elixir of Life, and Lord Voldemort will be back at last, and the Wizarding world shall tremble once again!"

'_Does he have to speak about himself in third person?' _ Thought Harry half-amusedly and half-disgusted.

"Enough" said the Vampire "Must you be reminded of our mission?"

"Of course…" grunted Voldemort "The matter of the book…"

"Mr. Dumbledore" said the vampire extending her hand towards Rob "You have something that doesn't belong to you. Relinquish the book and you won't have to worry about us…never again. We will have the Book of Three one way or another, should you refuse…"

Harry and Robert quickly glanced at each other, but made no gesture. The book they sought was the one that was mentioned by one of the eight guardians not the book of magic. Both boys appeared to have the same thought and made an effort not to smirk or give away what they were thinking.

"I don't have it" said Robert calmly.

The vampire frowned and gave an evil glare to both boys, but Voldemort did not make a move. His piercing red eyes were fixed on the boy with an extreme concentration but after a few moments something different appeared on his face. Astonishment.

"He's not lying!" he bellowed.

"What?" said the Vampire snapping at Voldemort, and Quirrel quickly turned around. But once again, the boys where already pointing their wands at their two attackers.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ they shouted.

The two dark wizards were thrown back from the force of the two spells and crashed against the mirror, losing their wands in the process.

"Seven years of bad luck it is" said Rob smirking, and the two boys took off, with the angry scream behind. They didn't bother to take another look and ran for their life back the way they came from.

"I see you took care of the fire" said Harry between breaths, but Robert just smirked and continued when they heard another blast behind them making the roof fall down behind them. The adrenaline was pumping through him, and Harry felt his legs moving on their own accord. They reached the room where Draco had been fighting the troll only to find the lifeless corpse of the monster lying on the ground. There was no sight of Draco or Hermione.

'A good sign' Harry thought briefly, and kept running, but crashed against Rob.

"Why did you… oh" he said when he saw the two figures on the other end of the chamber, waiting for them.

"I'm tired of this" said the vampire raising her wand "Time to end it"

"Harry" Rob whispered, but it was not his voice, it was now deep and harsh. "The stone, destroy it, when she sends the curse, destroy it"

Harry nodded and got the stone out. Quirrel saw this and an evil maniac smile formed on his lips.

"Over my dead corpse, Quirrel" said Harry angrily.

"We will grant your wish, _boy"_ grunted Quirrel "Do it. The Dumbledore boy goes now."

The woman pointed her wand at Robert first, and without realizing what was happening, they felt the magic gathering on her wand. Several things happened in a quick succession. Harry didn't know how fast the curse would be, but he waited until the last millisecond. The Vampire muttered something in a language he didn't recognize and a black shadow like bolt emerged from her wand at the very moment he had thrown the stone. Quirrel opened his eyes in shock and screamed, but all sound was muted to Harry.

The curse connected with the sorcerer's stone, but it split in two light red jolts that blasted Rob and Harry away. The force of the curse wasn't enough to knock them out, but it left them dizzy and with a severe headache. The stone remained suspended in the air for a few seconds in which the two boys stood up. Quirrel and the vampire did not move, looking at the glowing stone.

"Rob" said Harry in a whisper "Take cover!"

The defense professor took a step towards the stone while the two boys ran and stopped behind the corpse of the troll. Just when Quirrel was about to grab it, magic began building up in the clear red gemston and it exploded, sending a shockwave through the entire room. The force was so great that the boys fell to the ground and the dead troll was sent flying to the other end, crashing to the walls. Harry looked up and saw Quirrel being vaporized, his body turned into dust, and on the door, the Vampire had raised a shield, but the magic had been too much, and she was blasted away. Harry's eyes widened when a dark, shadowy cloud emerged from the remains of his Defense professor, letting out a screeching, painful scream and disappeared.

"You will pay for this!" the Vampire hollered, as the two boys got to their feet. But a loud bark from the other end of the chamber echoed and she risked a glance to her back. She then pointed her wand at the boys, but did nothing.

"This is not over, mark my words" she said, glaring "We will obtain the book, no matter what. You cannot keep it hidden from us."

And with that, she vanished forming a trail of smoke, which disappeared into the ceiling. Rob and Harry let out a breath they had being holding and their bodies relaxed. Harry sat on the ground, feeling tired when the adrenaline started rushing out his body. He then felt a weight on his shoulder and looked up at Rob's hand.

"We did it mate" he barely whispered "We stopped Voldyturd"

"Yeah, we did" Harry answered chuckling.

"Did you see his face when you threw the stone?" Rob said as he sat down next to Harry "Just priceless."

"Argh" Harry complained as he tried to massage the side of his head "What did the stone do to us? I feel like my skull was split opened"

After a few moments, the boys stood up. But just when they were going to take the first step back, Harry lost consciousness and almost fell to the ground, if it hadn't been for Robert who barely caught him. His body started convulsing and the scar on his head started glowing.

"Harry?!" Rob bellowed "Are you ok?! Mate, come on, answer me!"

An odd black smoke started pouring out from his scar, and Rob had to back away. The dark cloud let out a screech, forcing Rob to cover his ears and after a few seconds it vanished. Harry grunted and tried to sit up.

"Bloody hell…" he said, as Rob helped him sat up "What happened?"

"I don't know" said Robert "something happened to your scar. It lighted up and then…"

Robert couldn't finish his sentence, as he too started trembling. Harry held him and laid him on the ground. He could feel his body burning and the boy started trashing and trying to rip his shirt off. Harry tried to calm Rob but he unconsciously slapped him away. With a final grunt Rob tore his shirt open and Harry opened his eyes wide in shock. On his chest, Rob had a huge scar, with glowing red light pouring out. But what surprised him the most was that the scar had the shape of a bolt.

'Merlin!' Harry thought 'That's one hell of a curse scar'

Then a fire blaze came out of from Rob's chest, roaring as it sprang up to the ground in front of the two boys. Finally it subdued and Robert started breathing harshly. Harry recovered and helped him stand up.

"There mate, you're ok" he said.

"What the hell" was the only thing Robert said, and he pointed to the roaring fire in front of the two boys. There a monstrous figure stood, its whole body made of blaze and fire. The two boys managed to stand up and watched the creature apprehensively, as it stretched its wings open.

"Finally" said the Ifrit in an unnatural voice "I am out at last. I was worried back there boy" he said looking at Harry, its eyes glowing red "I have to thank you, if it wasn't for you destroying the stone, I would never have left his body"

"But…" stammered Rob "what happened? Harry too was struck and his scar did something weird"

"Worry not, my young friend" the Ifrit said, as it closed its wings behind him "The Sorcerer's stone was a very powerful magic item. As you may already know, it can produce gold and the Elixir of Life. Many have tried to understand its true nature, but not even their creators have been able to explain it. The curse that the vampire threw at you was the very same that forced me into your mind, Robert. But when the stone stood in its way, the effect was reversed and allowed me to leave your body. In Harry's case… well, it destroyed the Horcrux that resided on his body."

"Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"A piece of the soul of Lord Voldemort" the Ifrit said calmly.

"Pardon me?" said Harry dumbstruck.

"A Horcrux is a very dark magic. It allows the caster to remain alive even if they lose their body by placing a portion of your soul into an object or a living creature. To create it, the caster must sacrifice the soul of another person and split his own soul into a vessel. In your case, if I'm right, when your mother sacrificed herself to protect you, Voldemort unconsciously created a Horcrux and store it within you. Therefore, when the stone was struck with the curse, the magical vortex pulled the Horcrux and it destroyed it."

"So Voldemort has more than one Horcrux?" asked Robert.

"Indeed"

"Wait, are you serious?" asked Harry "Did I have a piece of that monster in me?"

"I am afraid so" answered the demon.

"Urgh" Harry grunted "I feel dirty"

"But it's gone now Harry" Rob said patting him on the shoulder, and then turned to the Ifrit "So what's going to happen now?"

"I will return to my plane of existence" it stated "But before I go… I want to give you both a gift"

"Huh" said the two boys at unison

"I am going to grant you a power" the Ifrit roared "hoping that it will aid you in your journey."

"I don't think that's necessary" said Harry, but truthfully he was scared of what the spirit would do to them.

"Fear not, Harry Potter" it said giving what appeared to be a grin "Harm will not come to you. Now look into my eyes"

Both boys frowned and gazed into the glowing red eyes from the Ifrit. But their concern turned into shock as they continued staring. They both felt their eyes burning but could not move their face or close their eyelids. Harry's glasses flew away from his nose and the pain intensified, and soon, both of them were enveloped in darkness.

…

* * *

"Look, Harry is moving" said the voice of a boy. It sounded oddly familiar.

"Shut up Ron, you will wake him up" a girl called, but couldn't figure out who she was. Not when his head felt like it was hit run over by an elephant stampede.

"It seems that our young friend is finally coming to his senses" whispered a calm and soothing voice of an old man. He knew that voice! Dumbledore! But where had the Ifrit gone? Where they still underground? He attempted to open his eyes but only found darkness.

"I can't see" groaned Harry

"Oh, right" said the Headmaster "Madam Pomfrey said that it would be okay to remove the bandages when you regain consciousness. I hope you are feeling better my boy"

He felt the clothing fall from his face and found himself facing several stares. Ron and Hermione were there and Robert was sitting on the bed next to him, already with the bandages off.

"How are you holding up, mate?" asked Harry to his neighbor, speaking gravely "Does your chest hurt anymore."

"Its fine now, thanks Harry" he answered knowingly. He had never let anyone look his scar before, and he wasn't very comfortable. He looked glad that Harry didn't elaborate on the matter.

"I feel weird, though" Rob stated.

"Madame Pomfrey did say that you would" said Hermione smiling softly "She mentioned something about magical exhaustion."

"Where are the others?" asked Harry looking for Neville and Draco. "Are they okay?"

"Mr. Longbottom had to leave with his grandmother earlier today. And as for Mr. Malfoy, I assume he did not want to get the attention of his housemates" said Dumbledore. "Rest assured, they were both in perfectly good health."

"So, _pops__"_ said Rob "Did, you know, Voldemort…"

"I am afraid that the Dark Lord has escaped once again, as well as his companion" he stated grimly.

"At least you destroyed the Stone before he could get it" said Ron "That was one hell of a blast by the way. How did you survive _that?"_

"Ron, watch your language" said Hermione glaring at him.

"But it was!" he replied hastily

"Nevertheless" interrupted Dumbledore "I find myself curious about the destruction of the stone."

"Oh well…" said Rob.

"I kind of threw it in front of one nasty curse that was about to hit Rob…sir" said Harry hastily "I couldn't think of something else, sorry."

"And what about the troll?" asked Rob "I saw the body lying on the chamber."

"That was Draco's doing" Ron said chuckling "Who would have guessed, the git does know what he's doing."

"Oh and the Ifrit was freed, by the way" said Rob happily "When the curse hit the stone, it backfired but it also did something weird and Harry and me were struck."

"That's right!" said Harry "I was meaning to ask you, Professor, the Ifrit said I had a Horcrux in me"

The headmaster froze, and his usual sparkle of his eyes disappeared. For a few minutes he made no gesture except for a confused frown. Finally, he took a deep breath and sighed.

"I had feared this for long time" he stated "but I had not been able to confirm it. Did something happen to your scar after the curse backfired?"

"Yea" said Harry "I thought that my head was going to split in two"

"Because it probably did"

"Really?" said Ron dumbstruck "man that had to hurt"

"You were very lucky" said Hermione "Literally there are very few chances that something like that could happen."

"Ms. Granger is correct" said Dumbledore "As relieved as I am about you two being alive, I must ask you not to get yourself in that kind of danger again."

"It's not like we go looking for trouble" said Ron "It usually finds us by itself"

"Professor?" asked Harry "Voldemort told us something about you not telling us the truth. Something about the night that my family was murdered…"

"Hmph" said Dumbledore holding his hand toward his chin "I am not sure of what he meant by that. I suppose I could tell you what I do know about that incident."

"Please" harry begged.

"Well, nobody truly understands what happened on that wretched Halloween" said Dumbledore reminiscing "The truth is that your parents had gone into hiding, knowing that Voldemort was after them. But for some unfortunate circumstances he found out about their safe house. It is presumed that you father, James Potter, tried to confront the dark lord, and give your mother time to escape, but it was futile. In between, something happened to your brother and he simply wasn't found. It is unsure if Voldemort took him, or if he killed him. About your mysterious survival, there are various theories, and the most accurate one, in my opinion, is that your mother did something that Voldemort did not expect. She called upon some ancient magic by sacrificing herself when she stood in front of a curse meant for you. It was her love what protected you. Yes, Love is one of the most powerful forces in the entire world, and something that Voldemort did not, and will never truly understand."

"Wow" said the four students.

"Well but it couldn't be something as simple as a sacrifice, right?" said Harry "I mean, who knows how many people jump in front of bullets or curses to protect someone they love."

"Bullets?" asked Ron confused.

"Muggle stuff" muttered Hermione.

"Ah…"

"Once again, you are correct Mr. Potter" said Dumbledore "I'm surprised at how perceptive you are. Of course, it was not just love that protected you. It was something much more powerful, and I don't fully comprehend it myself."

"I'm going to find out" said Harry sincerely. He had never been more convinced of something, but deep in his heart he knew that he was going to find out what his mother did and what happened to his brother. He was not going to let his father's and his mother's sacrifice be in vain.

"I think that if anyone is capable of doing it, is you Harry" said Rob. Harry looked into his eyes and nodded, thanking him silently for his vote of confidence.

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor" said Dumbledore, smiling at the four children in front of him. "Rob, I'm glad you are fine and that your demons are finally gone. But please try not to scare this old man again okay? You will give me a heart attack one of these days"

"Don't worry _pops_" he answered chuckling "I'll try not to piss of more dark wizards that often"

"I really hope so" the headmaster answered "I will see you all later on the feast, children. I'm really proud of you. You have shown courage and wisdom in the face of many dangers. Thank you"

With one last nod and a smile, the headmaster closed the doors of the infirmary, leaving the four friends alone.

"How many days have passed?" Harry said worriedly.

"A week" answered Ron and Hermione at the same time.

"That means that the Quidditch cup…"

"Yea" said Ron a bit disappointed "And the Slytherins are ahead in the score for the House cup. But, you are alive and that is what counts, mate."

"Admit it" said Rob smirking "You missed us"

"No I didn't" said Ron punching him on his shoulder.

"Harry?" Hermione said preoccupied "You don't have your glasses"

Harry reached for his face immediately to confirm what Hermione was implying.

"Merlin's beard" said Ron "Can you see?"

"Yes…"

"The Ifrit" said Rob coldly "It fixed you eyes!"

"Not only that" said Harry "My sight is better than I have ever seen in my life."

"Now that you mention it" said Rob "My sight is better too. I can't explain it, but I can see farther than I ever could. And the images are even more detailed. It's awesome!"

"You shouldn't force it too much" said Hermione "Both of you, this is something you're not used to. When you arrived here, your eyes were burning. Madam Pomfrey thought it was a result of the explosion. But judging by your comments, the Ifrit did something right?"

"You could say that" said Harry smirking "Come on, we have a feast to catch."

* * *

After a couple of hundred point given away by Dumbledore overt the feast, and having eaten everything they hadn't over the past week, the four friends decided to go near the lake and relax through the rest of the afternoon. Harry was ecstatic with his newfound sight. It didn't hurt either when the Gryffindor chasers told him he looked better without glasses. Of course, he had to lie and tell them that he had gotten contacts. They sat by the Lake's edge, enjoying the gentle breeze and the warmth that the early summer offered.

"Look what I found" said a voice behind them. "The most annoying Gryffindors ever"

"Nice to see you too Draco" said Hermione.

"Great job taking out the troll, mate" said Rob absent mindedly, as he levitated a rock with his wand.

"So, I have heard you got contacts" said Malfoy suspiciously "And my real name is Draco Potter, by the way" he added sarcastically.

"Couldn't get past you, huh?" said Harry "No, it was actually a gift from our friendly fire demon"

"I suppose you didn't get his address did you?" asked Ron "Who knows how many cool things he could teach us. Rob knows he could do some wicked stuff. Rob?"

The four of them looked at his friend who was currently holding his hands to his eyes, apparently in pain.

"Rob, mate are you ok?" Harry began asking, but a sudden sting in his eyes made him crash to the ground. After a couple of minutes, both boys managed to open his eyes, but what they saw wasn't what they were expecting.

"What in Merlin…" Harry said as he looked around. His eyes drifted to the crouching figure of his friend Robert and he sat down completely shocked, as he felt Ron and Draco helping him sat up.

"Harry are you… holy mother…" said Ron, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Oh my god!" said Hermione "Harry your eyes"

"What?!" he asked frantically looking around. Ron's jaw had dropped, Hermione covered his mouth in astonishment and Draco was frowning with no emotion on his face. He then heard Rob grunting and snapped at him and he too was left speechless.

Rob's blue eyes stared directly at his, but they were not normal anymore. He had already seen him like that before, only when he had been possessed by the Ifrit. This time, however, the color was the same, but instead of the normal, circular shaped pupils, there was something else. It had three pointed ovals, each pointing at a different direction, from the center to the edge of the iris. In the middle, at the beginning of the ovals, it had a triangle, and a dark ring crossed the ovals through the middle. The symbol of the book of magic.

"You should see your own eyes, mate" said Rob. Hermione then lent him a mirror that she had carried on her bag.

"Shit…" said Harry vaguely

"Language" said Hermione.

"Come on Hermione" said Ron "They just found out the Ifrit gave them some kind of freak eyes"

And he wasn't far from the truth. His own eyes now had their own pattern, and instead of just the normal pupil, it had a small, completely dark circle, surrounded by an emerald green triangle. The triangle was surrounded by another black circle as well and from this circle, three stripes traveled to the edge of the iris.

"Well, that explains why I see all this funny colors" said Harry.

"Funny colors?" asked Robert pissed "What are you talking about? I'm seeing triple here"

"It's just full of bloody colors, everything around" said Harry.

"We should get you to the infirmary" said Hermione worried.

"No!" yelled both boys at the same time.

"I have already passed one week there" said Harry slightly annoyed "I'm not going back after a couple of hours! Besides, the funny colors are already going away"

"That's what you get for messing up with potions too much" said Draco amusedly.

"Forget what I said about the Ifrit mate" said Ron chuckling "I'm ok with my own eyes"

"Ron, Draco, this is serious!" said Hermione exasperated "We should at least tell Dumbledore"

Harry tried to adjust his sight, but when he concentrated on something, strange colors started flowing from whatever he saw. He glanced at Robert whose face was covered in some blue smoke-like substance. Hermione didn't have the same smoke on her face but it had a red ring shaped smoke over her wand.

'Nah, it can't be what I'm thinking about' thought Harry 'I wonder if Rob is seeing the same thing than me'

But just when he was about to ask, a loud high pitched ring started, and he had to cover his ears. Apparently, he wasn't the only one, when he saw that his four friends had landed on the ground clutching their ears as well.

"Make it stop!" yelled Draco.

The sound appeared to understand what he had said, as it toned down its volume. Although it could still be heard, the ring had become bearable. When Harry opened his eyes, he found out that the funny colors had gone. He looked at Robert and relaxed when he saw that his eyes had too returned to their normal shape.

'_Now what_?' thought Harry '_Are we ever going to catch a break_?'

"What is that?" asked Ron while he helped Hermione stand up.

"It comes from the Forbidden forest" stated Draco as he looked upon the four Gryffindors. Harry and Rob shared a knowing look and nodded.

"Oh no" said Ron "I know what you're thinking. Absolutely no"

"Can't you see it?" said Rob, pointing at something above the forest.

Harry followed his glance and he too saw what he was talking about. Above the trees, a blue light was pouring out.

"That's what is making the ringing sound" said Hermione "Right?"

"The cave!" said Harry, and Robert just nodded "We were told that we had to go back when you were free from your burden or whatever, Rob. Listen guys, you don't have to come with us if you don't want to. But this is something we must do."

"I you think that I'm going to let some Gryffindors get all the glory" said Draco smirking "You are sadly mistaken"

"Fine!" said Ron crossing his arms "My mom can't get more pissed than she is already. Another 'little' adventure won't matter."

"Should be interesting" said Hermione smiling.

"Let's go then" said Harry.

Their walk through the forest went strangely uneventful. Literally, not a single creature crossed their path. They didn't even encounter a single centaur on their way. Harry noticed this and frowned but kept going. The group of eleven years old looked on the verge of running, but kept their pace. It looked like an invisible force was pulling them towards the heart of the forest. It had become dark, in spite being a few hours after noon. Harry risked a glance backwards, but couldn't see trace of the castle.

"Look, there it is" said Robert calling their attention.

In their last effort, they ran towards a small hill that was oddly clear from trees. Sunlight poured from the sky, and the ringing sound become louder as they approached its source. When they finally arrived at the clearing, the sound stopped dead. On the ground, a stone plaque had engraved the symbol of the book of magic, which was glowing with a blue light.

"Now what?" asked Ron.

"Open the book, Rob" said Harry emotionlessly. Robert quickly complied and looked to the stone plaque apprehensively. Both Harry and him were waiting for it to open. A few moments and nothing happened. Then, in a split second, they felt something pulling them from their feet and the five students yelled and closed their eyes as they were sucked into the ground. Harry then felt he reached solid ground and opened his eyes.

"Could've warned us" muttered Ron as he cleaned his cloak.

"What is this place?" asked Hermione looking around.

The chamber was exactly the same when they had left it, with walls ten feet high and a few chucks of ceiling lying on the floor.

"They called it 'The Beacon' or something like that" said Harry.

"_A_ 'Beacon', mate" corrected him Robert "It sounded like this wasn't the only one"

"What do you mean with '_they'"_ asked Draco suspiciously.

Rob only smirked and placed the book in the stone pedestal. The effect was instantaneous, and the patterns on the stone began glowing in a clear blue light. The eight triangular markings on the ground lit up and the other four friends jumped and approached the stone pedestal, looking wearily at their surroundings. One by one, the eight persons appeared over each of the markings on the ground. Hermione gasped, and Ron's jaw dropped again, while Draco pointed his wand erratically but couldn't find his voice to send any spell.

"Welcome young ones" said a man with a long beard, who was carrying a big tome in one hand and a white staff in the other.

'Merlin' thought Harry, as he vowed slightly, followed by his unsure friends.

"I see you have brought the other _Ainur_" said the man next to him in a jovial voice.

"What?!" bellowed Robert "You mean…. They are too…"

"Chosen ones" stated a man on the other side of Merlin. Harry smiled when he recognized the voice of his ancestor.

"Wait a second" said Hermione confused and irritated. She really didn't like when she couldn't understand something. "Who are you people and what do you mean with '_Chosen ones'_?"

"We are the '_Nim'Vahka'_ or 'The White Guardians'. We helped to protect the world's fate a millennia ago, from an indescribable monster. Its followers are the ones who are currently pursuing you."

"You mean…" said Draco "That Voldemort is not really the big bad guy here?"

"Indeed" echoed the voice of a woman "He is not yet among the true masterminds, but he has been close to be accepted among their circle."

"But who _really_ are you" said Hermione "And why are we here? How come some kids like us help defend the world against people like Voldemort or that ugly vampire."

"The girl is very perceptive" said another man in a deep voice. Hermione recoiled when she saw that he had an actual skull hanging from his neck "Perhaps we should introduce to the newcomers."

The eight figures nodded in agreement and began stating their names. As each of one revealed their identities, they irradiated power, which overwhelmed the five younglings. Hermione's jaw dropped when she found out that she had been speaking to Merlin, and she, Ron and Draco, looked to Harry when they heard the name of Edric Potter. When they got to Dallben, the keeper, Harry interrupted them.

"The 'Book of Three' was the one they were looking for, not the one that Rob had" he said.

The room remained silent for a few seconds as the eight figures looked at each other.

"It seems that I was correct, Merlin" said the last woman "My name is Aer, by the way" she added smiling.

"Mhm..." said Ron almost drooling.

"Ron" muttered Hermione as she hit him on the back of his head "Show some respect, please."

"Okay" he said slightly ashamed.

"This is something we had not foreseen" said Verona Ravenclaw "They are one step closer to finding it. The book must remain protected."

"But I don't understand yet" said Hermione "Why were we chosen?"

"Hermione…" said Rob rolling his eyes.

"What?" she said glaring at him "If we are going to defend the world or whatever and risk our lives we should understand what's happening and why!"

"Wise words, young one" said Dallben seriously "Perhaps if we told them certain… details"

All of them nodded in response. Merlin then struck his staff to the ground and began speaking.

"Thousands of years ago, the world was immersed in a great war. This war has been long forgotten, erased from the mind of men and magic folk alike, lost in the ashes of time. During those dark times, a dark witch lived. Her powers were unrivaled and her knowledge of the dark arts was unlike anything ever seen. It was a different age, and many magic creatures roamed free on the earth, sea and sky. But most of them are gone as well.

However, the witch was defeated, but she had taken steps to preserve her life. So she was sealed in an eternal prison. Or so they thought.

Her followers prevailed and during long years they fought and brought havoc to the earth. None of us eight lived during that age, but like you, we were once chosen. It was more than a thousand years ago that our predecessors found us and told us of a prophecy. One made by the first prophet ever to walk earth. It spoke of eight children that would once and for all destroy the evil witch and bring peace for an entire age. The prophecy, however, was misread and we weren't the ones destined to destroy this evil.

Instead, the witch was released once again bringing darkness once again. Together, we managed to seal it one more time, but we paid a grave price and our allies were lost. Now the evil witch's followers have found the trail of their mistress location and they will not stop until they find her. It is up to you, to stop them now. You children are the ones that the prophecy spoke of."

"But there is only five of us" said Robert warily. "And how are we supposed to stop these evil wizards. We are barely kids!"

"And what about those allies, who were them?" asked Harry.

"It is forbidden to speak their names…" said Arthur "That was part of the price that was paid to seal the evil witch."

"Anyways how do you know that we are the chosen ones?" asked Draco unimpressed. "You said that it should be eight of us, like Rob said."

"There is eight of you" interrupted Ravenclaw "Eventually, they will find their way and aid you."

"What about the prophecy?" asked Harry "You should at least rely it to us... And how are we supposed to survive if these evil wizards are so powerful? We are still waiting for that answer."

"And what about the muggles" asked Hermione "There should be at least something in their history, but as far as I know there haven't been those kinds of world-changing wars until recently."

"It has been, of course, kept from the muggle recordings" said Dallben "Gave us a bit of a problem, mind you."

"A bit you say?" said Nimue "Are you mad? I can't even recall how many minds we had to erase. I once told you it was a mistake and I still say it now."

"About the prophecy" interrupted Edric "It's too early to reveal that to you. Your minds are not completely protected, yet. It could be dangerous if the prophecy reached unfriendly ears. And you're right about you not being ready to fight the Snake Lords."

"So that's what they are called" said Draco as he crossed his arms. "Are they really that bad? I mean I have heard that the Death Eaters really gave some trouble to the Ministry years ago."

"There are three Snake Lords as far as we know" said Allanon seriously "And Voldemort isn't even one of them. First of all, they have lived longer than any wizards alive. Second, they have knowledge of the dark arts that would make Voldemort pale. The ministry has no chance if one of them decides to openly declare war and raise their armies. And third, they control much of the wizarding world through a series of underground societies. I don't really think no one knows how far their power reaches, except them."

"That means that the war is not only in the battlefield, right?" asked Rob.

"Exactly, my boy!" said Merlin before striking the ground with his staff once again. "These are different times, and battles are not always won by sheer brute strength. No, you must now look for alternate methods and forge new alliances. Nevertheless, the war will eventually pick up to the real battles and therefore you will need to be prepared."

"The trick is to reach balance" said Arthur leaning against his sword "It has always been. Everything in life is about balance, you must understand this. Past and Future. War and Peace. Chaos and Harmony. If you have an excess of something, eventually it will be return to a balance."

"But how do we do that?" asked Harry.

"Blimey, I think you are asking too much from us" said Ron "I know this is for the greater good and whatnot, but we can barely defend ourselves, how are we suppose to bring balance and all that stuff?"

"Patience, young one" said Dallben "You shall not be defenseless when the time comes."

"Worry not, children" said Aer "That you will not be the only ones fighting the evil that rises from the shadows."

"Stay true to your path" spoke Nimueh "And never lose faith in yourselves."

"There will always be hope" bellowed Allanon "Even in the direst circumstances, remember this."

"Be loyal to your friends" said Ravenclaw "Because they will be the ones to help you stand up when everything else is falling."

"Always try to be better persons" said Arthur "At everything you do; it is practice that makes the master"

"Never dwell in the past" spoke Edric "But learn from it. From your mistakes and your achievements there is always a lesson."

"And by all means" said Merlin smiling "Live your everyday as if it was the last one. Now it is time for you to leave."

"You aren't going to let us go now, right?" said Hermione confused "We really need to learn how to stop these bad guys. There must be at least something you can teach us."

"Young one, I think you misinterpreted me" said Merlin with a twinkle on his eyes that looked suspiciously familiar "Part of the balance that we are talking it's about magic too. There is magic that has long been forgotten, and there are certain things that the wizards take for granted way too often. But your path is ultimately for you to decide, if you wish to learn the old ways, as well as new ones. There has been chosen a mentor for each one of you, should you accept our offer, and for an entire year, you will learn from them. What say you, young ones?"

The room stood silent for a long time. Harry contemplated what the supposed guardians had told them. If he guessed right, his parents and his brother had been killed by orders of these… Snake Lords. He wanted to make things right for them; he wanted to feel like they had given their lives so he could do something with his own. He glanced at Robert and he seemed to have the same internal struggle, as well as Draco, Ron and Hermione. If they accepted, they wouldn't be seeing their families and friends for long time, but on the other hand… maybe they could protect them. He remembered all the good times they had shared; how he met Rob on that day at Gringotts, and they instantly found a loyal friend on each other; how Ron had met them on the Hogwarts express and constantly made them laugh. He remembered how they had saver Hermione from the trolls and how Neville had overcome his fears. Maybe Neville was one of them too. Even Draco had come around back that time during their adventure in the forest. Each one of them had a special place in his heart.

That was what it was worth fighting for.

"I'm in" he said solemnly "I want to… I want to protect… everyone"

"Me too" said Robert, placing his hand in his shoulder "I won't let you fight alone, mate. I still have to find my brother anyways."

"What do you mean with brother?" asked Ron.

"Long story" replied Rob "These guys told me."

"Figures" said Ron crossing his arms "I'm game too, by the way."

"Should be interesting" said Hermione smiling "Who knows how many stuff will learn."

"Anything that gets me away from my father should be worth it" said Draco smirking "Let's do this."

"Very well, young ones" said Merlin "Shall the spirits of the old Guardians be with you in your journey."

And with one last strike from his staff, the five children disappeared and the old chamber was enveloped in darkness.

A/N: Hey! That's all for chapter 14 and it's the end of the first book. I will start working on the sequel very soon. I hope you are enjoying the story! Please leave your reviews and thank you everyone who has bothered to read my fanfic, it is greatly appreciated.


	15. End

Hey everyone, i wanted to thank everyone who has read and reviewed the first book of my fanfic. I have already started working on the second book. The first chapter is already up and here's the link:

www. fanfiction .net/s/5765185/1/The_Potter_Brothers_The_Shadow_Seal

Please R&R!

lsgp


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